


Afterlife

by GenKay



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series)
Genre: Anger, Angst, Canon Compliant, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Gen, Guilt, Regret, Revenge, Tragedy, bad guy wins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:49:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 44,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28615362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenKay/pseuds/GenKay
Summary: Some stories have a bittersweet ending - but then life is not a story. And nothing ever truly ends. Sometimes, a miracle can happen and you end up with a chance to make things right years after the fact.Johnny was no stranger to the idea. After all, his first second chance had come years after he’d given up.Distant Future-Fic. Post-Finale.I started writing this based on expectations from Season 3 trailer and all my fears were confirned when it aired. So, S3 compliant as well.
Relationships: Carmen Diaz/Johnny Lawrence, Miguel Diaz/Samantha LaRusso, Robby Keene/Samantha LaRusso
Comments: 55
Kudos: 83





	1. Past is Prologue

_ “Robby! Wait!” _

_ Dammit. The kid got him. He got him good.  _

_ His old empty apartment had been a great place to hide. No one would’ve normally thought to look for Robby there. Johnny had felt so clever for thinking of it. And yet, once again, Robby had proven himself a step ahead.  _

_ Whatever alarm Robby had set up to warn him of visitors, Johnny hadn’t even noticed. And by the time he’d broken down the door, the kid was already halfway out the window. And if that wasn’t enough, Robby had set up a sweet trap for him there as well. The window frame was already too small and it was made smaller by the additional rebars jammed right across. The opening was only big enough for Robby to slip through and definitely not enough for a grown-ass man like Johnny.  _

_ That was something he discovered after he was halfway through and now he found himself trapped uncomfortably in there, helplessly watching his son jump down the fire-escape.  _

_ “ROBBY! Please, just wait!” Johnny tried again. “Just hear me out!” _

_ The boy paused, hesitating. Then he turned around and looked up at Johnny.  _

_ The bruises on his face were fresh. Two days old, Johnny knew. From the last time he’d been in the same room as Robby and Kreese - the time he’d found his old Sensei “training” his son - which had looked a lot more like pounding him into the mat.  _

_ “You don’t...” Johnny started. “You don’t have to worry about Kreese anymore. I took care of it.” _

_ That had to be it, right? What Robby was afraid of? He’d run that day, leaving Johnny to deal with Kreese, because he was afraid of the old guy. Afraid of what he might do. That had to be it. Because if that wasn’t the reason… _

_ “I don’t care about Kreese.” Robby replied, evenly, his cold eyes never leaving Johnny’s face.  _

_ It’s not too late, Johnny told himself. I can still help him.  _

_ Kreese had taken advantage of the kid. Robby had been alone and abandoned and vulnerable and Kreese - manipulative bastard that he was - had taken advantage of that. And the only reason he’d been able to was because Johnny had left his son alone and abandoned and vulnerable.  _

_ “Look, whatever bullshit he told you, it’s not true, okay?” Johnny pleaded.  _

_ “Yeah - I figured that out on day two.” Robby smirked. “Kreese never fed me the same bullshit as others, dad. I knew exactly what I was signing up for.” _

_ For getting used? For getting beat up in the name of training? “Why…?” _

_ “Because I had no one else to turn to.” Robby replied. His lip curled up in disdain. “And I still don’t - now that Kreese doesn’t want anything to do with me.” _

_ He turned to leave once again.  _

_ “Come back with me!” Johnny shouted, struggling to get free of the frame. “Robby… you can come back, okay? Everything will be okay once you come home.” _

_ Robby turned around again, sneering angrily. “Home? With you? And then what? Learn to get along with Miguel?” He raised his arm wrapped in a cast. “The guy who did this?” _

_ Johnny tamped down on the bubble of guilt rising through his throat.  _

_ “You left him no choice.” He pleaded. “And after what happened last time - ” _

_ “Save it.” Robby scowled. “I don’t give a shit.” _

_ “It’s over now, okay? All of it.” Johnny argued. “No one’s gonna blame you. If you just come back, we can make things right again.” _

_ “Who said I wanted to?” Robby replied.  _

_ It’s not his fault - it’s yours. He needed you and you were never there for him. And that was all he ever truly wanted.  _

_ “I’m sorry! Please… I’m sorry.” That made him pause, waiting for Johnny to go on. “Look - I know I was never there for you before, but I’m trying to be. And from now on, I will be.” _

_ A flash of anger across Robby’s face told him that he’d said the wrong thing again.  _

_ “Sorry? No - no you are not.” His tone was arctic. “Why would you be? You already have everything you really care about.” _

_ “Robby...” _

_ “But you will be.” Robby went on. “One day, I’ll make sure of that. This is the last time you take something from me.” _

_ The words sent a chill through his bones.  _

_ “What’s that supposed to mean?” _

_ “It means...” Robby smiled. “See you next life, dad.” _

_ Trapped and unmoving, Johnny watched as Robby jumped off the landing and hotwired his car to get away.  _

* * *

  
  


_ Robby should be here. _

Not for the first time, Johnny considered putting down a place setting for him at the table. The dinner table was made for six people after all and even with Miguel bringing Sam over for dinner every now and then, there were still just five of them. Robby was needed there to fill the empty seat. 

Johnny had had that fantasy for years - ever since he’d finally moved in with Carmen and her family into a new apartment - that one day, Robby would show up at his doorstep out of nowhere and everything would be okay. Just like that. There would be no questions, accusations or recriminations - just his son coming home and being accepted into his family. 

Which was probably just a pipe dream. After all, there was history here. Baggage with others that was not easily set aside. So even if Robby did choose to come back some day…

“You want me to put that back, honey?” Carmen’s voice snapped Johnny out of his reverie, making him look down to where she was pointing. 

He’d been standing there, plate in hand, hovering over the sixth chair. Carmen knew, ofcourse. She always knew what was going through his head when he got that look on his face and she never broached the subject. 

There was a shout from the living room, followed by sounds of laughter and Johnny allowed his mind to wander away from the subject as he handed his wife the plate. Miguel was happy… finally back with Sam again after a long time of will-they-won’t-they and that was good enough for now.

Robby had disappeared, well and truly that time. Johnny must have spent thousands of dollars trying to track him down, all to no avail. Years passed, relationships changed, students came and went and Robby still stayed gone. 

“You expecting someone?” Carmen asked, snapping him out of it again. His head was really somewhere else today. He hadn’t even heard the doorbell ring the first time. The second ring was more impatient and Miguel shouted “Coming!” before heading over to answer it. 

It wasn’t Robby - somehow, Johnny knew that in his bones. As much as he fantasized about it happening, he knew that Robby wouldn’t actually show up at the door like that. He’d be too afraid of being rejected, of being turned away. 

“Someone’s here for you, Sensei!” Miguel called out and his casual tone confirmed what Johnny had already known. He still couldn’t help but feel his heart sink a little. 

_ Huh? So they do let women in the army.  _

Johnny almost laughed at the notion of that being his first thought. This wasn’t going to be a laughing matter though. The serious looks on the faces of the two uniformed officers at the door told him as much. 

_ Why were they here?  _ Johnny wondered. Kreese was the only guy who knew who had anything to do with the military. Had the old bastard finally died? And what did that have to do with Johnny?

“Mr. Lawrence?” The male officer asked. “You are the father of Robert Keene?”

“Y-yes...” Johnny replied, feeling dizzy all of a sudden.

_ Robby? This is about Robby? After all this time… _

“That’s what we are here about.” The female officer told him. “I’m Major Catherine Masters and this is Major John McAvoy. May we come in?”

Johnny nodded, numbly stepping aside to let them in. This wasn’t going to be good. As much as he’d hoped for some news, some inkling of where his son might be, now that the moment was finally here, all he felt was dread. 

“What did he do now? He didn’t… become a terrorist or something, did he?” Johnny asked, nervously trying to make light of it. “Oh God - he didn’t, did he?”

Major Masters gave him an odd look. “No sir.” She shook her head. “Sergeant Keene didn’t become a terrorist.”

_ Sergeant  _ Keene?

“Robby joined the army?” Miguel spoke up first. “When did that happen?”

The two visitors seemed at a loss for words for a moment and Johnny realized that the rest of his family was still there. Miguel had gone back to the couch beside Sam and Carmen and Rosa were leaning against the kitchen wall, listening intently. 

“I...” Major McAvoy started uncertainly. “Have you not been in touch with him recently?”

“The last I saw him, he stole my car to get away from me.” Johnny told them, smiling ruefully at the memory. “Ditched it a couple of blocks over and just vanished without a trace. He never… reached out after that.”

“I see.” McAvoy nodded. 

“So he… uh… he joined the army?” Johnny asked. “And he became a sergeant? That’s… that’s good, right?”

“Yes, I’d say so.” Masters replied. 

“And now...” Johnny looked at them, confused. “I’m sorry… are you trying to find him or something? Shouldn’t you know that already?”

They looked at each-other uncertainly for a moment. And then McAvoy took a deep breath before continuing. 

“Sir, I’ve been asked to inform you that your son, Sgt Robert Keene, was killed in action on the 7th of this month.” He said, calmly and deliberately, as if from rote. “On the behalf of the Secretary of Defense, I extend to you and your family my deepest sympathy in your great loss.”

Johnny blinked and the whole room was deathly quiet as he tried to wrap his head around it. 

“Uh… what?” Johnny shook his head. “But you just said that he… I mean… what happened?”

“Sgt Keene was deployed to the war zone.” McAvoy explained. “And he was killed in action. I’m… sorry for your loss.”

It didn’t make sense. None of it made sense. Johnny could understand the words being said but…

“What war-zone?” He asked. “Are we at war with someone?”

“Yes sir.” Came the cold reply. “We have been for quite some time now.”

But that was supposed to be over, right? He’d heard nothing on the news about it in ages.

“I don’t...” Johnny cleared his throat, suddenly finding his vision going blurry. “What… happened? I mean what happened exactly?”

“Unfortunately, we are not at liberty to tell you that.” McAvoy replied. “The details of the mission are classified.”

“So… you just came to tell me that my son is dead and won’t even tell me what happened?” He could feel the anger pricking behind his eyes. “No - that’s not…  _ what happened _ ?”

It looked like Masters was going to say something but McAvoy put a calming hand over hers. 

“I’m told that his unit came under enemy fire.” He replied instead. “Sgt Keene took a bullet and one of the other members of his unit was more critically injured. Sgt Keene stayed behind to cover their retreat. He didn’t make it back.”

Under fire? Took a bullet? Stayed behind? They couldn’t be talking about Robby - not his Robby. Unbeckoned, the angry bruised face with green eyes full of rage floated before Johnny’s eyes. No - there had to be some kind of mistake. 

“No, that’s… but he’s just a kid.” Johnny stammered. “He’s just sevent...”

But Robby wasn’t seventeen anymore. Hadn’t been for years. Time may have stopped in Johnny’s mind, but Robby had clearly gone ahead and grown up without him.

“Are you sure it’s him?” Johnny asked. “Did you find the body? Or...”

“Sgt Keene set off an explosive to cover their escape.” McAvoy replied. “There were no identifiable remains to be found.”

No body? So…

“So he could still be alive?” Johnny said. “He could be out there somewhere… hurt and...”

“I’m sorry, sir.” McAvoy shook his head, firmly. “If it’s any consolation, your son died a hero.”

A hero? No - Robby wasn’t a hero. He was just a kid. A pissed-off kid who wanted to get back at his dad. 

“They… left him there?” Johnny asked, numbly. “His friends… they left him behind? Alone? To die?”

_ I left him alone… to die... _

“Sgt Keene  _ chose  _ to stay behind.” There was an edge in Masters’ voice. “He chose to sacrifice himself for his friends and his country.”

He shouldn’t have had to. Robby had already had so little to begin with. Why should he…?

“There is a memorial service next week. For all the soldiers fallen in the line of duty” McAvoy continued. “Sgt Keene will be presented with a posthumous medal of valor for his bravery in the field. We would like to extend you an invitation to attend and receive it on his behalf.”

_ Why me?  _ Johnny wondered.  _ I didn’t have anything to do with it… I didn’t make him who he was… I didn’t make him a hero… _

He just nodded numbly instead. 

“Someone will reach out to you with the invitation.” Major McAvoy said, getting up. “We’ll take our leave now. And once again, I’m very sorry for your loss.”

_ My loss?  _ Johnny’s mind stayed stuck on those words as he saw his guests to the door.  _ Did I actually lose anything today? _

Everything felt hazy and confusing and Johnny couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Robby had been out of his life for years, after all. He hadn’t actually been part of his new life… so this shouldn’t make any difference. Sure, Johnny had failed his son in every way conceivable… but that was old news. He’d known and lived with that fact forever. This news… it shouldn’t have changed anything. So why did it feel like his whole world had ended?

“I should go home...” Sam spoke up, tremulously. “I should… Dad would want to know...”

She was already crying, Johnny noticed numbly. Her eyes were already red, as if she’d been crying for hours. 

_ I should probably cry too… That’s what you are supposed to do when your kid dies, right? _

“I’ll take you back.” Miguel offered and Sam accepted wordlessly. 

What was he supposed to do now? Johnny wondered as he watched them go. Just go back to having dinner like nothing had happened? How was he supposed to grieve? Did he even have the right to grieve the child he’d abandoned.

“Johnny...” He heard Carmen say. “I don’t know… Should I…?”

“He was supposed to come back.” Johnny finally found his voice again. “He was… supposed to give me another chance. To make things right. To show him how much I...”

Everything was swimming around him. He felt his legs shake and his knees give out. Distantly, he realized that Carmen was kneeling beside him with an arm around him.

“He was supposed to come back...” Johnny repeated.

* * *

“Is this it?” Johnny wondered, looking down at the plaque in his hand. “It doesn’t… it’s not enough...”

The whole ceremony had been a farce in his opinion. The chaplain didn’t actually know any of the fallen soldiers personally… that’s why he’d just spouted generalities about brave souls. And the soft-headed grieving parents had just lapped it up as if it meant something. 

These kids shouldn’t have been out there fighting in the first place. Did nobody get that? They should be home with their loved ones… living their lives… falling love… not fighting and dying for people who would never even know their names.

If you couldn’t give a damn about them when they were alive, what was the point of pretending once they were dead?

“We could hold our own ceremony.” Carmen suggested with a comforting hand on his arm. “Just for people who knew him.”

“And who’s that?” Johnny scoffed. “You never actually knew him… and neither did Miguel… And I didn’t know him either. All this time that he was gone… I don’t know what happened to him… how that changed him...”

“You still cared for him.” Carmen replied. “I’m sure he knew that… deep down.”

Johnny shook his head. “If he knew that, he’d have...”

He left the rest unsaid and examined the thing in his hand instead. He ran his hand over the silk ribbon with the medal attached to it. 

“Is this… all I have left of him?” He asked. “This stupid piece of metal I can buy at a pawn shop? This… it’s not good enough.”

A scoffing sound pricked his ears and made Johnny turn around. Another soldier, Johnny saw, as the guy hastily looked away. One of the attendees in full military uniform. 

_ This isn’t the time,  _ A voice in his head said.  _ Don’t start a fight here… it’d be embarrassing and disrespectful and you’ll only get your ass thrown out. _

“You got something to say?” Johnny said instead. 

The guy turned around to face Johnny. He was in his late 20’s, Johnny saw. Probably a little older than Robby. And he was… injured. His arm was in a cast and he was leaning on a cane.

“Yeah. You don’t even deserve that.” The guy said, jerking his head at the plaque in Johnny’s hand. “I should be taking that home… not you.”

He couldn’t pick a fight with an injured guy, Johnny knew that. Especially not an injured soldier and especially not a ceremony for fallen soldiers. But the venom behind those words still took him by surprise and if this guy thought that he could talk trash about Robby…

“Who the hell are you?” Johnny asked, angrily clenching his fists.

“I’m the guy Robby died saving.” The soldier smirked back. “The one he sacrificed himself for.”

Johnny blinked. This guy? He was the other soldier?

“You… were his friend?”

“No...” The guy shook his head. “I was his family. His real family. But you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

“Johnny… let’s just go...” He could feel Carmen tugging at his arm but he pulled away. 

This guy knew Robby. It didn’t matter what he was saying, he still knew him and… and he cared for him. 

“He… told you about me?” It was more of a statement than a question.

“How you ditched him every chance you got? Yeah, he did.” Those words hit him like a slap to the face. “And now you just show up here? Acting like he meant something to you? If you had any decency at all, you’d have stayed away.”

_ I shouldn’t have come… _ Johnny turned his face away.  _ He’s right… I don’t get to act like this means something… not now. I don’t get to have all the condolences and sympathies… I don’t get to hear how I raised a hero because I didn’t raise him.  _

“Is there a problem here?” A sharp voice spoke up from behind him and the soldier went stiff instantly. 

“No, sir!” The tone was completely different - a lot similar to the one Johnny was used to hearing from his students. 

“No?” Johnny turned to see an older black guy standing behind him. “Then what were you talking about, corporal?”

“Just expressing my condolences, sir!” The corporal replied, his eyes never leaving Johnny’s. 

“Do you have a problem with the army’s policy of honoring the deceased family on his behalf?” The ‘sir’ - Major Hoover, his nametag read - asked. 

“I do not, sir.” The Corporal replied, still looking at Johnny coldly. “I simply take issue with what qualifies as family.”

“Then write to your congressman about it.” The Major snapped. “This is neither the time nor the place. Dismissed.”

Despite his injury, the Corporal clicked his heels and walked away from the conversation, leaving the senior officer to talk to Johnny. 

“I’m sorry about the discourtesy, Mr. Lawrence.” The Major’s tone was much softer now. “Corporal Myers was close friends with Sgt Keene since their training days. He blames himself for his death… he doesn’t think Keene should’ve died to save him. He’s... grieving too.”

_ And so are you…  _ Johnny could hear that in his tone.

“Did you… know Robby too?” He asked, hesitating. 

Major Hoover nodded a little sadly. “I was his instructor when he joined. He was a good soldier… brave, hard-working, dedicated. Couldn’t have asked for a finer recruit.”

_ And nothing at all like the Robby I knew… _

“He was never like that with me.” Johnny said, numbly. “With me he was always… angry and...”

“Yes… he had that anger in him too.” The Major nodded understandingly. “He wasn’t the first rebellious teenager looking for somewhere to belong and he won’t be the last. And in my experience, boys like him often make for the best among us. They just need something to believe in.”

_ Or someone for someone to believe in them.  _ Johnny’s mind supplied.  _ Someone who wouldn’t betray them or leave them behind.  _

“Did he… ever tell you about his life before he joined?” Johnny asked. 

He got a deep breath in reply. “I would rather not talk about it.”

So that was a yes, Johnny realized. This guy was a better actor than the other one but…

“You feel the same way as him, don’t you?” Johnny asked, jerking his head towards Corporal Myers. “That I don’t deserve to have this medal. That if I didn’t care enough about him when he was alive, I shouldn’t act like it matters now.”

The smile on the guy’s face was supposed to be comforting, no doubt. But it did not reach his eyes. And Johnny knew that he wasn’t that good of an actor after all. 

“Like I said,” The Major replied. “This is neither the time nor the place for such a conversation.”


	2. 7 Years Later

_ Daniel sat in his car, nervously clenching and unclenching his hands around the steering wheel.  _

_ Robby must be scared. Terrified. Desperate.  _

_ Well, he must have been, given how Daniel had left things the last time he’d seen the boy.  _

_ Daniel wanted to apologize for that… he’d meant to apologize for that… but then the shitstorm had hit the fan and… _

_ What would Mr. Miyagi do now? _

_ The question was pointless. Mr. Miyagi wouldn’t have ended up in this situation to begin with. He’d have been a better teacher… a more supportive mentor and Robby wouldn’t have ended up doing what he did.  _

_ But here they were anyway and Daniel had to figure out how to deal with it. His student needed his help and ofcourse Daniel was going to give it to him… but what did that mean? How was he supposed to help the kid now? _

_ The boy was scared of going to prison… ofcourse he was. And Daniel was scared for him. Even if it was just juvie, it wasn’t about being inside for a while. It was the not knowing - how long he’d be in for and how it’d affect the rest of his future… that was scary as hell. Even with all the assurances he’d gotten from the lawyer... _

_ But what was the alternative here? To run away? To keep running for the rest of his life? Was that truly supposed to be the right choice here? _

_ No - obviously not. Clearly, there was only one right choice - for Robby to turn himself in. But the boy could be stubborn and he was scared and probably too smart for his own good. If he had his mind set on it, then… _

_ “Robby, this is only temporary.” Daniel said, trying to remain as calm as possible. “I’ll get you through this, okay? I’ll visit you every day, I promise” _

_ This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. They were supposed to give him time. They weren’t supposed to be so rough with him.  _

_ And Robby wasn’t supposed to look so… broken.  _

_ “Don’t bother.” _

_ Shit. Shit. Shit. This had gone all wrong. He was doing this for Robby… to make things right with him. For him.  _

_ “Robby….” _

_ Robby looked back at him, blankly, his eyes full of hurt and betrayal and Daniel found himself unable to even reassure him as the police officer led him away.  _

_ “I did the right thing.” Daniel said, more to himself. “It had to be done…. Right?” _

_ But this time, he could actually hear a reply.  _

_ “No, Daniel-San.” Mr. Miyagi said sadly. “Right thing not mean anything if not own choice.” _

_ But Robby wasn’t going to make the right choice. He was going to run away and ruin his whole life in the process. Daniel couldn’t let him do that. He was his teacher and he… _

_ “Teacher duty to guide student, Daniel-san.” Mr. Miyagi told him. “Not make choice for him.” _

_ He screwed up. He should’ve tried to convince Robby first… to get him to make this decision. Because Robby was a good kid and he… deep inside, he always did want to do the right thing.  _

_ “I’m sorry...” _

* * *

This wasn’t the first time Daniel found himself feeling bad for Johnny Lawrence. He’d felt bad for him plenty of times throughout his life. Even back when they were kids, when Mr. Miyagi had explained to him about bad teachers and students and he’d seen the guy getting choked out by his own Sensei…

But there was no feeling of superiority to his pity this time. Before, he’d always had the sense of Johnny bringing his misfortune upon himself through bad decisions. With the recent tragedy though… it was like the universe was out to get the poor guy. 

“Carmen settling in okay?” Daniel asked, taking a sip of his beer. 

Johnny shrugged despondently. “She finally found a job.” He said. “And she misses Miguel...”

It wasn’t fair… but it wasn’t exactly a misfortune either. Just negligence combined with an unfair system. 

Daniel had suspected before that Rosa Diaz might’ve been… undocumented. But it hadn’t exactly seemed like a cause for much concern. An old woman… living with her daughter and grandson… it wasn’t like she was stealing jobs from anybody. Who was it hurting to let her stay? 

But the system didn’t care.

“Carmen blames herself.” Johnny said, quietly. “They had an immigration lawyer years ago. But he was just giving them the runaround. So they just kinda gave up. Figured that it didn’t really matter.”

It’d all happened so fast that none of them had even had a chance to do anything about it. Before they could even get a lawyer, some judge had already signed the deportation warrant and days later, the old woman was on her way out of the country. 

Ofcourse Carmen had decided to follow her mother back to Ecuador. She’d had no choice in the matter. The Diazes had no family left in Ecuador and Rosa was too old to face the rigors of a new life by herself. Despite insisting otherwise, she clearly needed her daughter there with her and Carmen had to go, even if it meant leaving her husband and son behind.

“Is Miguel planning to visit?” Daniel inquired. 

Johnny shook his head. “The residency is kicking his ass. He lives at the hospital more than he lives at home nowadays.” 

Daniel nodded, relieved despite himself. 

That had been a small mercy atleast. Carmen had worked too hard to give Miguel a good life in this country to let him give it up. She’d told him in no uncertain terms that he was not going to follow them there. 

Miguel and Sam were going steady now - had been going steady for the past few years - and when Miguel had floated the idea, for a moment Daniel had feared losing his daughter. But Carmen had saved them from crossing that bridge.

“You can still visit though, right?” Daniel said, trying to be comforting. “And it’s not like it’s forever. I mean, Carmen can visit now and then too.”

Johnny shrugged again. “I still need to get my passport made.” Then he turned to Daniel. “Did that lawyer friend of yours say anything?”

The guy was looking for good news in all the wrong places. 

“Nothing good.” Daniel replied, shaking his head. “He says since Rosa stayed here undocumented, it’s gonna be next to impossible to get her back. Even for a visit.”

Johnny accepted the answer as if that was what he’d expected. 

“What about your kid?” He asked, changing the subject. “Doing any better?”

Daniel gave him a bitter laugh and shook his head. 

If Rosa was a tragedy of a lightening strike, Anthony’s was a slow moving one that had managed to sneak up on them nonetheless. 

Daniel still wasn’t exactly sure when it’d all started. When or how Anthony had become unable to cope with the pressures of an adult life. When he had turned to pills to take the edge off. Or when he had moved to something stronger.

All Daniel knew was that one night he’d woken up to a phone call telling him that his son was in the hospital after an overdose.

“Says he doesn’t need any help.” Daniel said, bitterly. “Says he can stop when he wants. He’s in rehab now, but...”

“That stuff’s all bullshit anyway.” Johnny said. “I’ve told you before - send him to me for a week. I’ll straighten him out.”

Daniel chuckled at that for a moment before going somber again.

“I just...” He mused. “I wanted to give him everything I didn’t have growing up. Everything I wished my parents could give me. That’s what you are supposed to do, right? That’s what you are supposed to want for your kids.”

“Maybe...” Johnny shrugged. “Or maybe it doesn’t matter at all. Things end up in the crapper no matter what you do.”

Daniel looked at him questioningly, prompting him to go on. 

“I mean… you gave your kid everything you could.” Johnny continued. “And I gave mine nothing. And it all ended badly anyway.”

“Robby died a hero.” Daniel reminded him. 

“Doesn’t make him any less dead, does it?” Johnny replied. “He deserved better.”

Daniel couldn’t argue with that. 7 years since Sam had brought home the terrible news and it still stung to even think about it. 

“Do you… ever feel like we are being punished?” Johnny asked. “For… failing Robby.”

“We did what we thought was right at the time.” Daniel argued. 

“So you wouldn’t change anything if you had the chance?” 

“That's not what I said.” Daniel replied immediately. “If I’d known what Kreese was going to do, ofcourse I’d have...” He sighed. “But that’s just hindsight. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“I should’ve been there.” Johnny said. “Gone to juvie to see him. Told him that I’d care for him no matter what. Kreese… he… takes advantage of people who are alone. Who feel like nobody cares. And if I’d shown Robby that I care...”

Daniel nodded. This wasn’t on Johnny alone. They’d all dropped the ball on that one. 

“Regretting it now doesn’t change anything though.” Daniel told him. “And what Robby did after… clearly we did something right. Right?”

“I don’t think we get to take credit for that.” Johnny replied sadly. “He was always a good kid inside but that wasn’t because of us.”

Daniel couldn’t argue with that either.

* * *

  
  


_ Paper towels. Dish soap. Eggs. Lettuce. Organic bread.  _

Johnny consulted the list in his hand again, going through the uncrossed items for the grocery shopping. 

Carmen had well and truly spoiled him. For years Johnny had been completely fine living like a slob and eating junk food - but now that his wife had given him a taste of a more… “elegant” lifestyle, he found himself unable to go back to his old ways. Which meant now he had to handle all the tedious things like going to the supermarket himself. 

It wasn’t all bad, ofocurse. It certainly helped him keep his mind off all the shit life kept throwing at him. 

Every now and then, Johnny wondered what Robby would think if he could see him now. Would he feel sorry or would he revel in his misery?

Robby was a good person at heart - there was no doubt about it. But even so, his anger towards Johnny had been very real. Even when he had been out there, fighting and dying for his friends, he’d still held on his anger well enough to poison them all against him. The months Johnny had spent trying to reach out to Robby’s army buddies and facing nothing but scorn and rejection in response proved that beyond a doubt. 

He had tried to honor Robby’s memory in what little way he could, but it had all been too little and too late. The medal of honor that hung in his dojo was, in the end, the only thing he had left and it didn’t even come close to the real thing. 

This was one regret that Johnny would simply have to spend the rest of his life with. Because Robby was… here?… in front of him?

Johnny blinked and shook his head. 

That couldn’t be right. The guy in front of him - intently examining the loaf of bread - he just looked like Robby. Or rather, more like what Johnny would imagine a grown up Robby to look like. 

He was taller and broader than his son had been, with shoulder length hair and a scruffy beard. He had a scar running down his cheek to his chin, still visible under the scruff. His clothes were ill-fitting and messy - like they hadn’t been washed in a while. But there was something achingly familiar about the way he held himself - something that made Johnny’s vision go blurry and his head swim. 

It couldn’t be Robby. Fate was playing tricks on him again. Mocking him and his failures by putting a look-alike in his path. The rush of hope and the waves of cold going through him? That was just the punchline to the cruel joke some capricious god was playing on him. 

And he wasn’t going to fall for it. He wasn’t going to get his hopes up. It’d take him but a moment to gather himself and any resemblance he saw would be gone. He’d shake his head, laugh at himself and keep shopping. 

“Robby?” Johnny called out. 

The guy looked up - directly at him - and there was recognition in those green eyes. 

The twist of the lips - that sneer - that was familiar too. The expression was exactly the same as the one he’d seen his son give him a thousand times over. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” The guy said. The voice gruffer - deeper - but it was unmistakable despite the years. 

“It is you!” Johnny said, stunned. “You’re… alive.”

Robby stared at him impassively for a moment and then rolled his eyes. 

“Whatever!” He shrugged, turning to go.

_ He’s leaving. Again. _

_ No - not this time.  _

In a fraction of a second Johnny closed the gap between them and pulled his son into a hug.


	3. Miracle

_ “Get away from him!” _

_ The voice cut through the haze of red surrounding him and Johnny found himself getting pulled away from the old man under him. Angrily, he stepped forward, only to find Robby in his path with his fists raised.  _

_ Kreese grunted, gingerly sitting up, wiping the blood off his face and looking at his hand in disgust.  _

_ “Not bad!” He growled. “You always knew how to use your anger.” _

_ Johnny snarled, stepping ahead, only to find Robby pushing him back.  _

_ “Get out of my way, kid.”  _

_ “No!” Robby replied, stubbornly. _

_ Johnny took a deep calming breath. Not good. He had to learn how to control his anger.  _

_ Kreese had done it again… he’d made Johnny lose control again. Despite their deal of settling things at the tournament, he hadn’t stopped targeting the kids. Or maybe it was because of it - Cobra Kai had been steadily losing students after all and Kreese maybe Kreese wanted to even the odds. And he was using Robby to do it. _

_ Well, two could play that game. If Johnny could get Robby to quit before the tournament too... _

_ “C’mon!” He said, as authoritatively as he could muster. “We are going home.” _

_ He grabbed Robby’s arm and the boy angrily shrugged him off before they could take two steps.  _

_ “Robby - ” _

_ “I’m not going anywhere with you!” Robby snapped. “I haven’t seen you in months and you think you can just snap your fingers and make me come running like a dog?” _

_ Johnny sighed, willing himself to unclench his fists. Kreese was the last person he wanted to do this in front of but it didn’t look like he was going to have much of a choice.  _

_ “You can’t stay here. Not with… him!” Johnny couldn’t keep the disgust out of his voice. “Trust me on this, Robby - he will hurt you. Look at what he is making you do… at what he is doing to you… look at your hands...” _

_ “Like you give a shit.” Robby replied. “I got plenty hurt a lot of time and you never even bothered to show up.” _

_ He’d expected Robby to throw that in his face, but that didn’t make it sting any less.  _

_ “Well, I’m here now and I’m not gonna leave you with that… psycho!” _

_ “And where else is he supposed to go?” Kreese sneered, getting up. “Back to LaRusso? Live off his scraps until that asshole decides to kick the kid out again?” _

_ “He’s my son.” Johnny told him. “And he’s gonna live with me.” _

_ “No… you don’t get to call him your son anymore.” There was venom in Kreese’s voice. “Not after you picked that Mexican kid over him.” _

_ Was that how Kreese got his hooks into him? Was that what he was using to manipulate Robby? _

_ “I didn’t choose Miguel over you.” Johnny spoke directly to his son. “There is no choice here, okay? Just because I care about him doesn’t mean I care any less about you.” _

_ “Sure...” Robby scoffed.  _

_ “Look - I know I should’ve come sooner.” Johnny admitted. “But it wasn’t an easy time for anybody, alright? I needed to figure out how to… deal with stuff. To get my act together.” _

_ “Didn’t stop you from seeing Miguel, did it?” Robby replied.  _

_ “He needed me.” Johnny pleaded. “He needed my help… to get better… to learn how to walk again… to - ” _

_ “To go to concerts?” It was more of a statement. _

_ Johnny closed his eyes in regret. He had no excuses left here - he knew that. Miguel had needed him and he had risen to the occasion. He had pulled his shit together to be there for the kid like he deserved. But that simply meant that his failure to be there for Robby was all the more glaring.  _

_ “I know you are angry, Robby. You get to be.” Johnny tried a different angle. “But don’t destroy your own life over this. You can still come back from this. Make things right.” _

_ “Make things right?” Robby narrowed his eyes. “How?” _

_ “Just come back.” Johnny said. “You can apologize to Miguel and he’ll forgive you… and then things can go back to being normal.” _

_ There was a struggle in Robby’s face. Like he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words.  _

_ “And… if he doesn’t?” Robby asked. “If Miguel doesn’t forgive me?” _

_ “He will.” Johnny insisted. “I’ll make sure of that.” _

_ “But if he doesn’t?” Robby asked again. “What then, dad?” _

_ “Then… we’ll figure it out.” _

_ “Figure it out?” _

_ What did Robby want from him? What was he looking for? _

_ “What do you want me to say, Robby?” Johnny asked, despairing.  _

_ “Nothing...” Robby replied coldly. “You can’t say anything that will ever make me trust you again.” _

_ What did he do this time? How did he screw this one up? _

_ “Look - whatever you think about me - you can’t stay with him.” Johnny tried again. “It’s not safe.” _

_ “What’s he gonna do? Smack me around.” Robby shrugged. “Still better than being left alone.” _

_ “You won’t be.” _

_ “Why the hell would I ever believe you?” _

_ Apologize… that’s what he needed to do. No - he needed to do more. He needed to beg, to grovel - whatever it took to convince Robby… _

_ No - not in front of Kreese. He couldn’t show that kind of weakness to the enemy. And if convincing him wasn’t an option then… _

_ “Robby, I’m done playing, alright?” Johnny warned him. “If you don’t come back right now then...” _

_ “Then what?” Robb scoffed. “You’ll ground me?” _

_ “Then… I won’t hold back anymore.” Johnny finished. “I am taking him down - make no mistake. I’m burning this place down to the ground and Kreese with it. And if you stay with him, you are going down with him too.” _

_ “No mercy, huh?” Kreese spoke up, amused. “Good. That’s what I like to hear. That’s how it should be.” _

_ But Johnny’s eyes stayed trained on Robby, looking… searching… for any hint of surrender. Robby betrayed nothing.  _

_ “You know what, dad?” Robby said, impassively. “I think you finally said something I can believe. So do your worst.” _

* * *

He was here. Robby was really here… sitting opposite to him in the booth and sipping his coffee. Somehow, miraculously, he was alive and he was back.

Johnny wanted to touch him. To feel the warmth of his hand under his own to reassure himself that this wasn’t a hallucination. He wanted to hold him again but… after the way Robby had reacted the last time he did that…

“They told me you were dead.” Johnny said, still recovering from the shock. “That there was no way you could’ve survived.”

“Yeah… they thought so anyway.” Robby shrugged in reply. 

“Did you… fake your death?” 

Robby frowned at him. “Why the hell would I do that?”

“I-I… I’m trying to figure this out.” Johnny stammered. “It’s been so long. Wh-what happened? Where have you been all this time?”

Robby pursed his lips and sighed. 

“I thought I was going to die for sure.” He explained. “I took out about half of them with a grenade and I figured the rest would finish me off… but I guess a captured soldier was more valuable to them than a dead one.”

That sent a chill down Johnny’s spine. Had his son been a prisoner of war all this time? 

“Did they...” He had difficulty getting the words out. “... torture you?”

“What do you think?” Robby replied, shrugging casually. “I got lucky though. Got rescued a while back in a raid with a bunch of others.”

Lucky? Was that what counted as luck to him? 

“The army let me go after that.” Robby continued. “Honorable discharge.”

“Why?” Johnny asked, confused. “After everything you went through for them...”

“They couldn’t trust me anymore.” Robby replied. “Being a POW for so long… they didn’t know what secrets I might’ve told them or how I might’ve turned.”

“You wouldn’t do that.” Johnny said, confidently. “Robby, you are the toughest guy I know and they should’ve...” He trailed off seeing the look on Robby’s face. 

Robby gave him a considering look for a while and then smirked. 

“They teach us how to resist interrogation in training, you know?” He explained. “Do you know what’s the first thing they tell us?”

Johnny shook his head. 

“Everybody breaks.” Robby told him. “The tough guy from the movies who doesn’t say a word even when he’s getting beaten half to death… that’s not real. Sooner or later, the pain breaks everyone.”

Johnny sat there, silent, waiting for him to go on. 

“The trick is to break the right way.” Robby continued. “To obfuscate and misdirect. To throw in lies with the truth so they wouldn’t know the difference. To make them work for it just hard enough that they’d think they are getting something valuable, but not actually giving them anything. Give them just enough to keep yourself alive but nothing they can actually use...”

Robby sighed, taking another sip of his coffee. 

“But in the end, even that is just a waiting game.” He said. “Breaking down… that’s just a matter of time.”

Johnny wet his lips and found that his throat had gone dry. What was he supposed to say to that?

“Robby… I-I’m sorry.” He said, trying not to choke. “I’m sorry all that happened to you and… I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help.”

Robby gave him another calculating look, as if trying to judge his sincerity and then scoffed again.

“Whatever.” He shrugged. “Anyway - after getting out, I figured I’d try to find mom. Have you… heard from her?”

Johnny shook his head regretfully. “I tried to find her after… when we got the news about you. But she was nowhere to be found.”

Robby nodded, as if that was what he’d expected. 

“Well… it’s been real nice catching up with you.” He said, finishing off his coffee. “See you around, I guess...”

_ Already? You just came back and you still can’t get away from me fast enough? _

“Robby, wait!” 

Robby waited, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Do you… are you... working somewhere?” Johnny asked. 

“I’m kind of in between jobs right now.” Robby replied. “Tough to find something when you have been off market for so long, you know?”

“And… where have you been staying?” Johnny dreaded the answer.

“Government subsidised housing.” Robby said, his smirk growing wider.

_ A homeless shelter, you mean… _

“Why didn’t you come back?” Johnny asked. 

“Come back to what?” Robby replied. 

“To me.” Johnny said, his temper rising as the thought occurred to him. “Why didn’t the army call me when they found you? Didn’t you ask them to?”

Robby gave him a confused look. “They asked me if there was someone I wanted to call. I told them no.”

“Why?”

“Why would I?”

_ Why would I trust you again? Why would I call you for help after you have already failed me in every way imaginable? _

Johnny squeezed his eyes shut. 

“You really hate me that much?” He asked. “That you’d rather be alone and miserable than ask me for anything?”

“Think you already know the answer to that.” Robby replied, deadpan.

They sat there in silence as Johnny tried to think of something to say - of anything - to make him stay.

“Well, like I said, this has been fun, but - ”

“It doesn’t matter.” Johnny interrupted him suddenly.

Robby leaned back, waiting for him to continue and Johnny took a deep breath before going on. 

“It doesn’t matter what you did or who hates you. You are my son and I’m always going to be there for you. No matter what.”

Robby frowned. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“That’s what I should’ve said, right?” Johnny explained. “Back then when I was trying to get you away from Kreese? That’s what I should’ve told you to make you come back. And… if I had… you wouldn’t have had to go through all this. Right?”

“Maybe.” Robby admitted coldly. “But it’s too late now.”

“It’s not. It’s not too late.” Johnny insisted. “I know I can’t erase what you’ve been through but I can atleast try to make things better for you. Just let me help you. Please!”

“Why the hell would I ever trust you again?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? After letting him down, over and over again, why should Robby give him another chance?

“Because I need this more than you do.” Johnny replied. “Not being there for you… it’s the biggest regret of my life. One that I thought I’d have to take to my grave. But you being back… like this… it’s a second chance I never thought I’d have. I won’t… I don’t want to screw this up again.”

“Just like that, huh?” Robby said, skeptically. “I’m supposed to just start over? Forget everything?”

Johnny shook his head. “I won’t ask you to do that. I can’t even promise you that I’ll do everything right… I mean, when it comes to you, screwing up is all I’ve ever done.” He collected himself again. “But if you tell me what you need… what I can do to make things better for you...”

He was considering it. Somehow, miraculously, Robby was actually considering it. 

“You’ll regret this.” He said, matter-of-fact. “Letting me back in your life? That’s not gonna end well for anybody.”

“What do you mean?”

“You have no idea what I’ve been through all these years, dad.” Robby explained. “Or what it has turned me into. This is not gonna have a happy ending. That’s simply not how things go with me. Sooner or later, I always mess things up. And you don’t want to be anywhere near me when it all blows up.”

_ It won’t…  _ Johnny wanted to say.  _ I won’t let it… _

But he knew he had to say the right thing this time. 

“If that happens, I’ll just help you pick up the pieces again.” He said instead. “I told you already - you are my son and I’m always going to be there for you. No matter what.”


	4. Prodigal Son

_ “Let it go, man. It’s not worth it.” Hawk said, pulling at his arm. “He’s not worth it.” _

_ And maybe he was right.  _

_ After all, Miguel had already won, hadn’t he? He’d won the tournament. He’d won his friends back. He’d won his dojo. Even his girlfriend… _

_ And the asshole who’d put him through hell was left with nothing. He could choose to be the bigger man now - like his mom always kept telling him. He could choose to simply walk away and leave the guy to his well-deserved fate.  _

_ And that’s what he’d have done… if not for Sensei Lawrence.  _

_ “Robby is a victim too...” that’s what Sensei had said. And a part of Miguel understood that. After all, they’d all been fooled by Kreese at some time or the other - Sensei Lawrence, Hawk, Tory… even Miguel himself. So Robby being manipulated by Kreese wasn’t exactly his fault.  _

_ Except… others had come to know better. They’d seen Kreese for who he was and rejected everything he truly stood for. But Robby hadn’t. His anger and his spite overwhelmed whatever good side others claimed he had and he’d stuck by Kreese despite everything just to get back at Sensei. _

_ Well, he’d failed at that and if it were up to Miguel, he’d have left the guy to get what was coming to him - but this was about Sensei Lawrence. He still cared for his son and Miguel cared for him, so by the transitive property… _

_ “You could’ve won, you know?” Miguel said, approaching the boy on the bench. “If you’d just played by the rules...” _

_ It cost him nothing to admit that. Robby had always been a good fighter and it was a miracle that Miguel had made it this far despite his injury.  _

_ Robby looked up at him, scowling. “Sure. Feels good to win a rigged game, doesn’t it?” _

_ Rigged? Was that how he was trying to excuse it? _

_ Certainly, the “excessive force” rule was a new one that Mr. LaRusso had pioneered and perhaps Miguel’s injury had played a role in his decision… but it applied to everyone equally. This was a competition and it was meant to keep the kids safe. There was nothing unfair about it. _

_ “It’s not my fault that you don’t have any self-control.” Miguel retorted. “If you’d just fought with honor...” _

_ The glare that Robby shot him made him realize the irony of it. These more restrictive rules hadn’t existed last year and back then, Miguel had been the one to take advantage of their absence to win.  _

_ “You didn’t fight smart - it’s that simple.” He corrected himself. “You got angry and impatient and you got disqualified because of that. If you’d learned to use your head instead - ” _

_ “Thanks for the advice.” Robby interrupted him. “I’ll remember that for the next time.” _

_ Next time? The guy still wanted to keep at it? _

_ “There won’t be a next time.” Miguel said. “It’s over. You lost.” _

_ “It’s not over until I say it is.” Robby replied.  _

_ Kreese’s words, Miguel realized. Was this never going to end? _

_ “You need to get your head out of your ass, dude.” Miguel said, angrily. “Kreese is just using you to get back at Sensei. Don’t you get that?” _

_ “So what?” Robby asked, smirking.  _

_ That vindictive asshole.  _

_ “So… you failed.” Miguel replied. “You lost. And you know what Kreese does to losers, don’t you?” _

_ The flash of fear in his eyes lasted for but a moment, but it was enough to let Miguel know he had him.  _

_ “It’s not too late.” Miguel offered. “Just go back to Sensei and say you are sorry for all your bullshit. I’m sure he’ll forgive you - take you back.” _

_ “What the fuck did you just say?” Robby looked like he couldn’t believe his ears. “You want me to apologize to him?” _

_ Did he still not get it? How badly he’d screwed up? _

_ “You messed up… you have to see that.” Miguel argued. _

_ “Yeah, maybe I did.” Robby said, shaking his head and getting up. “But I’d rather get my ass kicked by Kreese every day of my life than go begging to him.” _

_ Why? What did Johnny ever do to deserve this kind of hate? _

_ “You are seriously fucked in the head.” Miguel said, getting angry now. “Like… just get over yourself. So Sensei screwed up before… big deal. He’s trying now, isn’t he?” _

_ “You call that trying?” Robby scoffed.  _

_ “You never even gave him a chance.” Miguel yelled. “He’s such a great guy and he cares so much. But you just keep pushing him and pushing him...” _

_ It was like talking to a stone wall, Miguel realized. His words simply weren’t getting through.  _

_ “You know what - you and Kreese deserve each-other.” Miguel said, in disgust. “You are so butthurt about your dad not giving a shit about you, you don’t even get that you are not worth the trouble in the first place.” _

_ That one had to have hurt. Sure Robby didn’t show any reaction, but Miguel knew he got to him.  _

_ “That’s just what I’d expect someone like you to say.” Robby replied.  _

_ Was that supposed to mean something? Even by his standards that was weak. _

_ “Whatever, man. You stay with Kreese and you’ll end up a loser just like him.” Miguel said, smirking. “Or maybe you are sticking with him because you are a loser just like him. I mean, no one else wants you around either, right? Not even Mr. LaRusso and certainly not Sam.” _

_ Apparently, that was his breaking point. With a snarl, Robby leapt forward, going for the attack - only to find himself getting blindsided.  _

_ Hawk had been standing quietly by Miguel’s side throughout the conversation - but he jumped in the moment his friend was threatened. Robby turned on him and there was a flurry of kicks and punches driving Hawk back. And after a moment’s hesitation, Miguel jumped into the fray.  _

_ Miguel was no fool. He wasn’t going to let a tournament victory get to his head. He already knew that he wasn’t ready for a real fight - not against someone like Robby. So maybe fighting him 2-on-1 was unfair and dishonorable - but Robby had already shown them how dangerous he could be when provoked and honor wasn’t worth crap compared to a broken back.  _

_ Together with Hawk though, he was more than a match for Robby… especially with their opponent so angry and out of control. Together they were able to drive him back… to land more hits than they took. Together, they had what it took to win. And within a minute, they had Robby bleeding on the cold tiled floor with the two of them pinning him down.  _

_ “Do you get it now?” Miguel said, huffing from the exertion as he twisted Robby’s arm behind him. “You are never gonna win. Not like this.” _

_ “Fuck you!” Robby growled, struggling to get up from underneath him. _

_ He should show mercy, Miguel knew that. Robby was a messed up kid and showing him mercy was what everyone would want him to do. Sensei, his mom, Sam, Mr. LaRusso - they’d all tell Miguel the same thing.  _

_ But they weren’t there and when it came to Robby, mercy had a high price. If Miguel let him go… let him up again and turned his back on him...  _

_ “It’s over, you hear me?” Miguel tried again. “Accept that it’s over and just give up.” _

_ Robby kept struggling.  _

_ And Miguel twisted his arm until he screamed.  _

* * *

This wasn’t the kind of news you gave someone over the phone or text. Or god forbid, zoom- which Sensei had only just barely learned to use. This really was the kind of thing you did face to face and that’s why Johnny had invited them all over - Miguel, Sam and Mr. LaRusso. That was the only way to do this right.

So why did this feel like some kind of sick, twisted prank?

“Boo!” Robby commented dryly at their identical stunned expressions. 

Ofcourse, when Sensei told them the whole story, that made things a little easier to swallow. It did make sense because Miguel had heard of stuff like this happening on news - soldiers getting captured, soldiers getting presumed dead, soldiers getting rescued… But that kind of thing wasn’t supposed to happen to…  _ normal  _ people. 

Miguel almost laughed out loud at that. Since when had Robby Keene been anything close to normal to begin with? 

“This is… amazing.” Mr. LaRusso said in wonder. “It’s a miracle.”

“You guys realize that I didn’t actually die, right?” Robby said, dryly. “That I didn’t actually come back to life? Don’t make such a big deal out of it.”

“It is a big deal for us, Robby.” Sam spoke up. “How are you doing? With everything?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? Robby hadn’t exactly been the most stable guy around before… and after what he’d probably been through… Miguel shuddered at the possibility of having another Kreese on their hands. 

“Just peachy.” Robby replied, shrugging. 

“And… you are staying with you dad from now on?” Sam continued. 

“Duh...” Johnny cut in with the reply before Robby could. “Where else is he gonna stay?”

“We’ll see how it goes.” Robby replied anyway.

“He’ll move into Miguel’s old room.” Sensei turned to him. “That’s okay, right?”

No, it wasn’t okay. Miguel still used that room. Sure, he might be living in an apartment with Sam now, but he still liked to crash at home every now and then. Granted, he did it less now that mom and yaya were gone, but still…

But he wasn’t a teenager anymore so he just shrugged in reply.

“Great!” The sarcasm was thick in Robby’s voice. “More of Miguel’s leftovers. Perfect!”

There was just no winning with this guy, was there? No matter what Sensei did, he managed to find a way to turn it on its head. 

“I-It doesn’t have to be that.” Johnny spoke up, quickly. “We can figure something else out.”

But Robby was looking at Miguel… giving him a calculating look. “No… on second thought, Miguel’s room would be perfect.”

And just like that, he was back to being a teenager again.

“And… you are still looking for work?” Daniel asked. 

“Give the kid a break, LaRusso.” Johnny laughed, nervously. “He just got back from war. Let him rest a little.”

“I’m not a kid.” Robby snapped back. “And yeah, I’ll find some work. You don’t have to worry about me being a freeloader.”

“What I’m trying to say is...” Mr. LaRusso took a deep breath. “Your old job at the dealership is still there for you if you want it.”

“I think I’ve had enough of your charity for a lifetime.” Robby refused coldly. 

“Robby - it’s not charity.” Daniel insisted. “You were good at that job… and you always worked hard...”

“Yeah?” Robby scoffed. “You think I’ll sell many cars with a face like this? Pass.”

Face like…? Oh. 

He was still good looking. No one could deny that. But that scar running down his cheek…

But that wasn’t the point anymore. This was clearly not how this night was supposed to go. Robby came back from the dead. Sure, he wasn’t actually dead - but he was to them. This should’ve been a night of celebration, of laughter. Everyone was trying their best to make him feel welcome and comfortable and at home and Robby just kept messing everything up. 

Well… not like Miguel was doing anything to help here.

“I don’t know, dude.” He spoke up. “I think it looks pretty badass.”

He got a skeptical look for his efforts as Robby tried to decide whether he was being mocked. 

“I mean, it’s proof that you saw some real shit, right?” Miguel clarified. 

“That’s it… you can work with me.” Sensei Lawrence jumped at the idea. “You can be my assistant or something.”

Robby scoffed. “Scrub mats, you mean? Wash toilets?”

“No… I got students for that.” Johnny smiled. “I meant like an assistant Sensei. I’m not as young as I used to be and I’m kinda getting tired of getting my ass kicked by my own students.”

_ Bull-fucking-shit. _

Miguel had been to the dojo plenty of times - even helped out with the lessons every now and then - and he knew Sensei was still the best fighter there. He could take any of those punks any day of the week and twice on a sunday. 

This wasn’t about needing help, it was a transparent bid to spend more time with Robby and Johnny wasn’t fooling anybody.

“You really want me to join Cobra Kai?” Robby scoffed.

“It’s not Cobra-Kai anymore.” Johnny told him. “It’s Cobra-Do now.”

That seemed to amuse him even more.

“You are shitting me?” He laughed, looking at Mr. Larusso. “And you are cool with him stealing your shit.”

“He didn’t steal anything.” Daniel explained. “I opened Miyagi-Do to show people a better way and what Johnny is teaching… that is the better way. I think you should give it a chance. See it for yourself. You’ve kept up with karate, right?”

He had… and that’s what was bugging Miguel all this time, he realized. With his hair and his scruff, Robby should’ve looked like a hipster - but he didn’t. There was something fundamentally but intangibly different about him… about how he held himself. It was like him sitting there causally was all an act - there was a sense of tension about him, like he was ready to jump into action at a moment’s notice. 

“You don’t want me anywhere near those kids.” Robby demurred. “I’ll be worse than Kreese if I train them.”

“No, you won’t.” Daniel shook his head in disbelief. “You are not a monster like him.”

“Kreese wasn’t a monster.” Robby said, sadly. 

“Are you serious?” Miguel couldn’t hold himself back. “After everything he did to you, you are still gonna defend him?”

Robby shrugged noncommittally. “Kreese wasn’t a monster. He was just an obsessed loser who never figured out what he really wanted from life.” There was a half-smile on his lips. “Trust me on this - I’ve seen some real monsters out there. People who do unspeakable things to others… and Kreese wasn’t one of them.”

They sat in silence as they absorbed those words. Seen some real monsters? That wasn’t something any of them wanted to talk about. Or even think about. 

“Well, you are not Kreese either.” Johnny went back to the subject. “And if you make any mistakes, then we’ll fix it. But this could work.”

Another long calculating look. 

“I’ll think about it.” Robby said at length. 

* * *

It wasn’t like Miguel actually hated the guy, he thought as they had their dinner. His feelings towards Robby were more… complicated. 

He’d resented him for a long time - that was for sure. How could he not? The wayward son that everyone longed for… how was Miguel supposed to compete with that? Especially after the guy supposedly died a tragic hero. Since then, he’d become a haunting presence in Miguel’s life. The shadow that darkened every facet of his being. 

And it certainly didn’t help that the Robby they all talked about was never the one he’d known. He never knew the caring boyfriend or the dedicated student or the disappointed son. To him, Robby had always been the smirking asshole out to get him any way he could. 

He’d eventually come to understand the guy better though. With all the stories and memories and regrets talked about over and over... It didn’t mean he liked the guy, but he did get where he was coming from. 

In fact, every now and then, Miguel found himself wishing that Robby had never left in the first place. 

But now, sitting opposite to him at dinner, he was having a hard time remembering why he’d ever want that.

This was not the sweet boy everyone talked about. Robby was rude, snarky and dismissive of any effort they made to be nice to him. And it was deliberate too… like he was trying to goad a reaction out of them. Like he wanted them to say or do the wrong thing so he’d be able to prove some point. 

Like how he scoffed when Sensei told him that his return was their luck turning around…

“It’s true.” Johnny insisted. “After Rosa and Carmen had to go, I never thought...”

“Yeah - that was a lucky break.” Robby commented. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Miguel frowned. 

“Just that I don’t think dad’s new wife would’ve wanted his back from the dead son around.” Robby said, shrugging. 

_ Who the hell does he think he is, talking about my mom like that? _

“Carmen would’ve loved to have you back.” Johnny said. 

“Really? The guy who almost killed her son?” 

Miguel thanked god for Sam and her calming hand on his knee. He really did not want to be the one who screwed up the night for Sensei. 

“Amanda would love to see you again too.” Daniel cut in, changing the subject. “She’d have come today but she’s checking in on Anthony.”

“Rehab, right? Dad told me.” Robby smirked. “Guess you should’ve paid more attention to the kid instead of wasting your time with me.”

And now it was Miguel’s turn to do the same for Sam. 

“Robby, I know things haven’t been easy for you and you’ve been through a lot.” Mr. LaRusso said, inhumanly calm. “But things will be different from now on. You just need to give this a chance. Everyone’s gonna be so happy that you are back. You’ll see… once people find out - ”

“I don’t want that.” Robby interrupted. “I don’t want to be some freak that everyone gawks at. And I’m sick and tired of everyone telling me how sorry they are. I don’t need anyone’s pity.”

Sensei Lawrence bit his lip. “We have to tell people that you are alive.”

“Why? Who cares? Nobody cared when I left, nobody cared when I “died” and nobody’s really gonna care that I’m back.” Robby snapped, angrily getting up amd leaving his dinner unfinished. “Excuse me, I need to go out for a smoke.”

_ So he smokes now? _

“You really shouldn’t smoke.” Sam couldn’t help but speak up.

“What are you, my babysitter now?” Robby replied and left without waiting for an answer. 

The awkward silence stretched between them following his departure and Miguel tried to think of something to say to make it better. And a part of him doubted if he actually wanted to. He knew that Sensei carried too much guilt to ever call Robby out on his bullshit and the very notion of spending the rest of his life dealing with that attitude…

“He doesn’t trust us.” Johnny spoke up. “He doesn’t trust… this. Things have been so bad for him for so long that he just expects them to go wrong. And he’d rather have them go wrong right away instead of later.”

“Can you blame him?” Daniel said, dejected. “I mean… forget about the past. What he went through after that… we don’t even know what he went through. Or how that changed him.”

This wasn’t going to be the old Robby anymore, Miguel realized. In a way, that guy did die long ago and this Robby… he was a second chance for them. And that included Miguel. This was a chance for them to start over and it’d be a mistake to start that by treating him as the same old Robby Keene. 

“I should go talk to him.” Miguel said, standing up himself. 

“Miguel...” Sensei began uncertainly. 

“It’s alright, Sensei. I won’t pick a fight.” Miguel reassured him. “I just want to clear the air.”

* * *

Miguel found him in the apartment parking lot, taking in deep drags from his cigarette and puffing out clouds of smoke and got a disinterested look as he approached. 

“Truce?” Miguel offered as he approached him. 

“Didn’t know we were at war.” Robby replied, sardonically.

“Yeah? What would you call that bloodbath inside?” Miguel joked. 

That fell short of its mark. 

“Just being my usual asshole self.” Robby quipped back.

“So… truce?” Miguel offered again.

He got a shrug in reply and figured that was the best he was going to get. The offer of the cigarette though…

“Uh… no thanks...” Miguel declined awkwardly. “I mean… no offence, but - ”

“Don’t care.” Robby said flatly, putting the pack back in his pocket. “What do you want?”

Well, he had come there to clear the air.

“About the last time we met...” Miguel started off on the right foot. 

“You mean the time you broke my arm?” 

“Yeah… that.” Miguel agreed. “I’m sorry.”

_ Even though what you did was way worse,  _ Miguel thought as he waited for the apology. He got none and Robby didn’t acknowledge his either. 

“Believe it or not, I was actually trying to help you that day.” Miguel added. 

“That was supposed to be helping?” Robby laughed. 

“I didn’t do a great job of it.” Miguel shrugged. “I was a dumb kid, okay? I didn’t know what the hell was I doing… just what I was trying to do.”

“Because you cared about me so much?” Robby said, sarcastically. 

_ Like anyone would ever believe that. _

“I cared about Sensei.” Miguel replied. “You going over to Kreese? That really hurt him. And I wanted to fix it for him. You can believe that, at least?”

Robby nodded slowly. “And that’s why you are here now? To tell me to be nicer to him?”

“Wouldn’t hurt.” Miguel admitted. “But no - I’m not getting in the middle of that. I just don’t want to fight you anymore.”

“No… you don’t.” Robby agreed, smirking.

Maybe he wasn’t that mature after all, because a part of him still wanted to answer Robby’s challenge with one of his own.

“Fine. Then let me have it. Settle the score.” Miguel spread his arms in frustration. “Tell me how I ruined your life. Took everything from you. Go on.”

Robby stayed impassively silent. 

“Either do that or let it go.” Miguel continued. “We have a chance to start fresh here, okay? To make things better. You are the only one holding on to the past. If you could just get past it - ”

“Ofcourse you’d think it’s that simple.” Robby scoffed. 

He’d said something like that before, Miguel recalled. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Miguel asked. “Like you are the only one who has seen some shit? Like my life has been so perfect? Newsflash dude, I’ve had plenty of shit of my own to deal with.”

“I know.” Robby agreed. “I know you’ve been through some shit too… and I put you through some too. That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Miguel waited and Robby took another deep drag before going on. 

“But you had people helping you through your shit. People who cared, who were always telling you that it was gonna be okay… who kept pushing you forward. Who told you that it didn’t matter if you were messed up or screwed up...” Robby looked at him. “That’s why it’s easier for you to let it go and move on. I didn’t have that. The shit I went through - it’s part of me now. And there is no letting it go.”

_ And who’s damn fault is that?  _ Miguel wanted to say.  _ You are the one who ran. Who disappeared. _

“So what’s the alternative then?” He said instead. “Be miserable and make everyone else miserable with you?”

“Or… just be miserable alone.” Robby shrugged. 

_ Run away, you mean? Again? _

“That’s not how it works.” Miguel told him. “Take it from someone who has been here all these years - you not being here didn’t make anything better. They were all miserable without you, did you know that?”

“Bullshit.”

“They looked for you.” Miguel said. “They hassled the cops practically every day. They...”

“What? Put up fliers in the road?” Robby scorned. “Ran through the streets shouting my name?”

_ More or less… _

“So what did you want him to do?” Miguel asked. “Spend the rest of his life drunk and miserable?”

“You are the one who said he was miserable without me.” Robby reminded him. “But he wasn’t - not really. Life moved on… he got married, you got together with Sam, the whole dojo thing worked out. From where I’m standing, it sure looks like everyone turned out better without me.”

What was he supposed to say to that? How was he supposed to explain how Sensei had truly felt? How was he supposed to make Robby believe it?

“If that’s what you think then why did you even agree to come back?” Miguel asked. 

“Because I got nothing better to do.” Robby replied. “Figured I’d see this farce through to the end. See how long it takes him to give up this time.”

He smiled, throwing the spent cigarette butt to on the ground and crushing it under his heel. 

“If nothing else, it might be good for a few laughs.”


	5. Old Acquaintances

_ “We can’t wait till the tournament, LaRusso. It’ll be too late by then.” _

_ “I already tried everything I can think of Johnny.” Daniel had replied. “I don’t know what else you want me to do.” _

_ Sam sat in the car, running through the conversation in her head over and over again. What to do about Robby? - they’d had that discussion ad infinitum and there was no real solution in sight.  _

_ This wasn’t on her though. Atleast that’s what everyone kept telling her. Robby’s choices weren’t her responsibility. And yet, she felt responsible. She'd been the one to go after him after he'd told her it was a bad idea. She’d been the one to kiss Miguel. She’d been the one who’d gotten drunk and asked him not to take her home. She’d been the one to stop writing. She’d been the one to get back with Miguel right when… _

_ Maybe her dad was right after all. Maybe she was just inviting drama with all this… _

_ The issues here were too big for her to solve by herself - she knew that much atleast. They went deeper than she could understand. But if she could just pry open the door… even a little bit… _

_ And that’s why she was here, hiding in her car in the strip mall parking lot, watching students come and go. And Robby wasn’t one of them. He was in the class, she knew, but he didn’t come out with the others.  _

_ Kreese did though… a while later. He got into his car and drove off and Sam took that chance to step into the lion’s den. She found Robby in the back room, working on a punching dummy, right beside a rolled up sleeping bag and a couple of books lying around.  _

_ He always did like to read. _

_ “So you just live here now?” Sam asked, looking around. _

_ Robby stopped punching and leaned against the dummy.  _

_ “You shouldn’t be here.” He said, calmly.  _

_ “Neither should you.” Sam replied. “I mean… I liked your last place a lot better.” _

_ “Juvie?” Robby turned around and raised his eyebrows. “Or did you mean the spot by the dumpster out back?” _

_ Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This wasn’t the start she was hoping for.  _

_ “You know what I meant.” She said. “Robby… you don’t belong here. You need to come back to us.” _

_ Robby smirked. “So who sent you?” He asked. “I’d guess Mr. LaRusso, but he’d never send his precious princess into this snake-pit. So... my dad then?” _

_ “Nobody sent me. I’m here on my own.” _

_ “Well, that was really stupid.” Robby replied, shaking his head. “You know what the others would do if they saw you here?” _

_ She had considered that, sure. And she had considered the answer as well.  _

_ “You wouldn’t let them do anything.” She said, confidently. “You wouldn’t let them hurt me.” _

_ The cold smirk was back again. “Don’t be too sure of that.” _

_ Sam closed her eyes and took another deep breath.  _

_ “Robby, I’m trying to talk some sense into you.” She said, through gritted teeth. “I don’t know why you are doing all this, but isn’t it enough already? You’ve proven your point.” _

_ “And what point is that?” _

_ “That we screwed up.” Sam replied. “That we should’ve been there for you. That you needed us and we let you down. I get it. We all get it. And we’ll do better from now on - ” _

_ “Really? You’ll do better?” Robby mocked. “So you are gonna break up with Miguel and get back together with me?” _

_ Sam pursed her lips, taken aback. “That’s not fair.” _

_ “No, it’s fair. But it also doesn’t matter.” Robby shrugged. “I’m not doing this for payback.” _

_ “Then why are you doing this?” Sam asked, frustrated. “What are you trying to accomplish here? I know you don’t like hurting people… that’s not… that’s not who you are. So why…?” _

_ She trailed off as she saw Robby give her a considering look, as if trying to decide whether to answer her.  _

_ “Cobra Kai works for me. It’s that simple.” Robby replied, shrugging. “I learned that in juvie… Sure your dad taught me some shit about honor and mercy and getting respect, but that didn’t work out for me, did it? Not with Miguel and not with you and certainly not in there. But Kreese’s way did. So...” _

_ So that was it? Kreese had filled his head with his BS just like he’d done with others like Hawk and Johnny and Miguel?  _

_ “You know that doesn’t work out.” Sam told him. “You saw what happens - you’ve seen the others...” _

_ “It’s different for me.” Robby replied. “You are right… this place does make you a jerk and being one does cost you things. It does cost you the people in your lives. The guys who quit… they had people they didn’t want to lose… so quitting was the right thing for them.” _

_ “If you get that - ” _

_ “I don’t have anything left to lose anymore.” Robby spread his arms in explanation. “I don’t have anyone who gives a shit.” _

_ “Th-that’s not true...” Sam said, tremulously. “My dad… he cares about you… and Mr. Lawrence….” _

_ “Save it.” Robby curtly cut her off. “I’ve heard that song before and I know how it ends - with me kicked to the curb or worse. I’m not falling for that again. I’m not trusting any of you.” _

_ “And you think you can trust Kreese?” Sam asked incredulously.  _

_ She got another thoughtful look.  _

_ “Me and Sensei Kreese… we understand each-other. He’s the only one who really gets what I’ve been through.” Robby explained. “He doesn’t feed me the same bullshit he does others. He doesn’t give me crap about caring about me or always being on my side… he tells me what’s expected of me and what I can expect in return - and I can trust him to keep his word. That’s all.” _

_ “He will hurt you.” Sam warned. _

_ “Only if I fail.” Robby replied. “But until then, this is all I have.” _

_ “No, it’s not.” Sam pleaded. “You still have us… if you just come back...” _

_ Her pleas were falling on deaf ears, she realized. Robby’s face had gone blank again and nothing she could say was going to make a difference here. Nothing… except… perhaps… _

_ “I know you still want to come back.” Sam argued. “Somewhere, deep down, you still want that - you are just too afraid of trusting it again.” _

_ “Is that what you think?” Robby smirked.  _

_ “Isn’t that why you weren’t there that night?” Sam replied. “Every other Cobra showed up at my house to attack us… except for you. Don’t tell me that doesn’t mean anything.” _

_ She got another considering look for that. _

_ “Ever consider you are looking at it all wrong?” Robby asked.  _

_ “What other way is there?” _

_ “That I knew those guys were coming to attack you and still decided not to warn you?” Robby replied, smirking. “So what would you rather believe? That I knew and didn’t come only because I didn’t want to get my hands dirty and land up in juvie again? Or that I didn’t know but would’ve come had I known?” _

_ He was messing with her, she was sure of that. Robby didn’t actually mean it - he was trying to hurt her the same way she’d hurt him.  _

_ “We are not gonna wait for you to come around forever.” Samantha warned him. “Robby, if you keep going down this road, there will be no coming back.” _

_ “It’s already too - ” Robby stopped, listening intently.  _

_ “What?” Sam asked, confused, trying to pick up what he was hearing.  _

_ “Sensei Kreese is back. That was his car.” Robby explained. “Go out the back… he can’t see you here. Okay?” _

_ Sam nodded and rushed towards the back door. _

_ “And Sam.” Robby added. “Don’t come back.” _

_ But I have to, Sam thought, as she made her way through the back alley. She may not have even started to fix anything, but alteast she understood some things better now. Robby was with Cobra Kai because he thought he didn’t have anything or anyone else left for him.  _

_ So all they had to do to get him back was to convince him otherwise. _

* * *

“You shouldn’t be here.” Robby said blankly as he held the door open. “What’s Miguel gonna say?”

Oh, Miguel had been plenty vocal about his thoughts on the subject. 

“I don’t trust the guy, Sam.” He’d told her. “I know why Sensei has to do what he has to, but there is no reason for the rest of us to get involved. We’re all better off as far away from him as possible. The guy’s messed in the head.”

“Ofcourse he is messed in the head.” Sam had replied. “After everything he has been through...”

“No, that’s not what I mean.” Miguel had shaken his head in frustration. “It’s not just that he doesn’t trust this to work out, it’s like he doesn’t want it to. It’s like… he wants things to get messed up.”

“He’s hurting.” Sam had argued. “He has been hurting for years and he needs as many people to help him as he can get.”

“Well… hurt people hurt people.” Miguel had replied sullenly. “And I don’t want to see you get hurt trying to help him. I don’t trust him.”

“Trust me, then.” Sam had replied, putting an end to it. 

“This was all Miguel’s idea, actually.” She told Robby now in a barefaced lie.

“What was?” Robby asked, looking at her suspiciously. 

It was all her idea, actually. A 4th of July welcome home party for Robby. A time for others to properly respect and honor his service. It sure seemed like the right occasion to do this. But Robby needed some serious upgrades before something like that - and if he was getting upgraded anyway…

“I’m taking you shopping.” Sam explained, waving a dismissive hand towards all of him. “It’s kinda embarrassing being seen in public with a guy dressed like  _ that. _ ”

“Who asked you to?” Robby retorted. 

“C’mon, don’t be a bitch about it, okay?” Sam said, annoyed. “I’m gonna get you some new threads - then you can burn whatever you’ve been wearing for the past few months. We can also get you a shave and a haircut and...”

Robby stared at her impassively for a solid minute. 

“You  _ have  _ changed.” He said, at length. “I don’t remember you being this pushy.”

“Comes with being a lawyer.” Sam replied, shrugging. “So, you in or not?”

Robby blinked, thinking about it and then shrugged. “What the hell? Not like I have anything better to do.”

* * *

He looked good like this, Sam thought. With his scruffy beard gone and hair trimmed short, he looked a lot less hobo chic and a lot more badass war vet that he was… a comment that Robby definitely found amusing when Sam made it. 

“Sam, this is too much.” He was saying now, ruffling through the pile of clothes she’d dumped on him. “I’m never gonna use all this crap.”

“Sure. You just prefer what you can carry in a duffel bag, right?” Sam mocked. “Sorry buddy, but I’m not making it that easy for you to run this time. This time, you are gonna have to lug the whole suitcase around.”

She got a half smile for that and counted herself lucky. 

“What the hell is this for?” Robby asked, holding up a pair of shorts.

“They’re swim-shorts.” Sam explained, slowly. “You use them for swimming.”

“Well, I’m not planning on going swimming anytime soon, so...” He casually threw them aside.

“No, you have to get those.” Sam said, a little too suddenly.

Robby stared at her in askance, the question clear in his eyes. 

“It’s for the party, alright?” She explained, sighing. “Dad’s throwing a 4th of July pool party at the country club and you are gonna need those there.”

“What makes you think I’m gonna be there?” Robby asked quietly. 

“Well… it would be pretty awkward if the guest of honor doesn’t show up.” Sam replied, smiling coyly. “It’s a party for you, dummy. We are gonna celebrate your return properly.”

That did not seem to please him at all. Robby continued to regard her coldly. 

“Should’ve asked me first.” He said in a chilly tone. “I told you already - I’m not gonna be some freak for everyone to gawk at.”

“No one’s gonna think you are a freak.” Sam insisted. “If you just come, you’ll see - ”

“What part of “no” don’t you understand?” Robby said in a voice that brooked no debate. 

_ Don’t push him,  _ Sam remembered her dad’s words.  _ Let him get used to things. Let him adjust. Don’t try too much too fast. _

“Look, use it, don’t use it - a pair of swim-shorts is still a pretty useful thing to have, right?” Sam changed tracks. “I’m paying for it, so what’s the harm in buying a pair?”

She was definitely counting the shrug she got in response as a victory. And there was still time before the party to win him over on that as well. 

“I should try these out.” Robby said, picking up a bunch of jeans and shirts from the collection. “See how they fit.”

Sam nodded, relieved. Atleast Robby was participating this time and she felt thankful for that as she saw him head to the changing rooms. 

She wasn’t going to screw this up this time. Sure, she’d thought the same thing before - years ago - but she’d just been 17 at the time. And she didn’t know jack shit then. Back then, she’d looked for the big moments… the real opportunities to show Robby that she was going to be there for him.

Now, she knew better. Now she knew that grand gestures and deep heart-to-hearts meant a lot less than the everyday mundane things like going shopping together. That was the real way to show someone that you were going to be there… by actually being there with him through all the small things. And now…

Okay… that looked like a cool jacket. The leather look would suit Robby, Sam was sure of that. And it looked like it was his size.

“Hey Robby - got something else for you to try on.” Sam called out, standing outside the trial section.

No answer.

“C’mon. I think you’ll like this one.” She tried again.

Still no reply. 

That was weird. She was certain she’d seen him go in behind one of the curtains and there was no way he could’ve bolted without her noticing. Was there?

“Robby, you there?” She called out.

Still nothing.

“Okay...” She warned, putting her hand on the curtain. “Hope you are dece-”

Robby was in there, in just his jeans, staring at himself dead-eyed in the mirror. 

He should’ve looked great - that was Sam’s first thought when she saw. Sure, Miguel hadn’t let himself go over the years, but Robby’s fitness routine was clearly at a whole other level. He’d always had a muscular build, but now he’d grown and filled out in all the right places.

And yet, the beauty of the smooth muscles she’d been accustomed to once was now marred by a myriad of scars all over. The telltale crisscross pattern of healed welts all over the back, the bullet wounds and gashes over the chest, patches where his skin was just a shade different from the rest… but the most noticeable was the wrinkled patch of red and white skin covering his left shoulder to his bicep and upper back. 

“See something you like?” Robby asked coldly as their eyes met in the mirror. 

_ I don’t want to be the freak everyone gawks at. _

“Just a jacket I thought you’d like.” Sam replied, flustered, and handed him the garment. “Sorry… I...”

She turned and walked away hastily, leaving Robby to it. 

They’d known, ofcourse, that Robby had been through some real bad stuff, but now she knew that they hadn’t really understood. And maybe they’d never be able to. Knowing it in an abstract sense was one thing… seeing the real, tangible proof of it all… that just shook her to her core. 

Robby walked out of the trial room a few minutes later, back in his usual clothes.

“These are fine.” He said, tonelessly. “And yeah, we can take the jacket too. But I think I’m done shopping for the day.”

Sam nodded wordlessly and headed to the counter.

* * *

The car ride back was becoming almost painfully uncomfortable. Robby didn’t seem to have anything to say and Sam didn’t want to. There was no pretending about what was really on her mind and there was no way she knew of broaching the subject that wouldn’t make it worse. 

_ Say something,  _ Sam begged herself.  _ Let him know it’s okay. That you don’t care. That he is still the same old Robby to you and a few scars aren’t going to change that.  _

“Stop the car.” Robby spoke up first. 

Sam nodded, hesitating and gently pulled over to the side. 

“Well?” Robby asked, turning to her. “You obviously got stuff you want to say. Or ask. So stop being a pussy and just do it.”

Sam nodded, taking a deep breath. 

“Does it hurt?” She asked first.

“No. Not anymore.” Robby replied. “Next question.”

“I-is this why you don’t want to come to the pool party?” Sam asked. “Because you don’t want to take your shirt off in front of others?”

“It’s one of the reasons.” Robby replied in the same tone.

“Well, you shouldn’t worry about that.” Sam rushed. “Who cares what a bunch of assholes think. You look great as you are and if they can’t handle a few scars - ”

“Sam! I don’t need your fucking validation, okay?” Robby cut her off. “I know what I look like and I don’t care. Next.”

_ Yes you do. If you didn’t then you wouldn’t…  _ but this wasn’t the time for that.

“How did it happen?” Sam asked next.

“Which one?” Robby asked back.

Which one indeed? There were so many to choose from. The biggest one was…

“The one on your shoulder.” Sam clarified. “It looks like a burn mark.”

“It is.” Robby replied. “From the time I “died”. I used this grenade and I didn’t get clear of the blast in time. So...”

“That was when you saved your friends?” Sam asked, remembering the day they’d gotten the news. 

Robby nodded slowly in response. 

“And… there is a story like that behind the rest of them too?” Sam continued. 

“More or less, yeah.” Robby replied. 

“If you are worried about how the ladies are gonna react, don’t be.” Sam said, thinking of something. “Chicks dig scars, okay? Especially badass ones like yours.”

Robby chuckled sarcastically. “You really are a lawyer, aren’t you? I don’t remember you being this full of shit before.”

Sam sighed. Yeah, that had sounded bad to her too.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of Robby.” Sam tried a different approach. “Those scars, they are proof of everything you’ve been through - everything you’ve sacrificed. ”

Robby laughed mirthlessly in response. 

“Proud? Yeah, sure.” He chuckled. “You wanna know which one I’m the most proud of?”

Robby didn’t want to talk about his past, Sam knew that. He’d avoided the subject with all of them like the plague. 

And yet, now he was offering and Sam was curious… so she nodded slowly. 

“This one.” Robby said, extending his palm flat in front of her. 

A knife wound, Sam could tell right away. A horizontal line of scarred-over skin running right across the middle of the palm. 

“Wanna know how I got it?”

Sam hesitated. “Only if you are okay with it.”

“We had this mission to take out this enemy leader.” Robby started, looking away and flexing his fingers. “We had the permission to ignore any… collateral damage. But this guy, he had hostages. Prisoners. The brass decided that taking him out was more important than saving the lives of a bunch of foreigners but...” Robby sighed. “Well, let’s just say that didn’t sit well with me at the time.”

“You… disobeyed your superiors?” Sam prompted. 

“Ofcourse not.” Robby replied. “I managed to convince them to give me a shot to finish it clean.”

He looked at her intently for a moment and then looked away again. 

“The mission went pretty textbook, actually.” Robby continued. “We were all setup to break in. We waited for the leader to show himself at a window. Had to wait hours and he did that for just one second, but that was more than enough for our sniper to take him out. The moment he did, the rest of us rushed in and finished off his other men before they knew what was happening. It was over and done within a minute.”

Sam nodded slowly. She already knew there was more coming. 

“I was trying to make sure that the hostages were okay.” Robby went on. “Cutting them free… checking them for injuries… that’s when one of them came at me with a knife.” Robby looked at her again. “I just reacted on instinct, Sam. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was grabbing the knife by the blade with one hand, pulling out my gun with another and -bang- it was done. Just like that.”

_ And you feel guilty about that? When they did that after you saved them? _

“You did nothing wrong, Robby.” Sam told him.

Robby shook his head, chuckling. 

“It was a 13-year old girl, Sam. The one who pulled the knife on me.” He explained. “She was the ‘wife’ of the leader we killed - well, one of them anyway - and she wanted revenge for her husband.”

Sam swallowed the bile rising through her throat. Robby had warned them, hadn’t he? There were some real monsters out there - that’s what he’d said, right?

“And then all hell broke loose.” Robby continued. “Some of them tried to attack us, but I think most of them were just freaked out and didn’t know what to do. I was still holding the girl, trying to stop the bleeding, when someone gave the order to fire. And inside another minute, the rest of them were dead too.”

Robby kept clenching and unclenching his fist, digging his nails into his scar. And Sam noticed that her own hands were shaking. But were they shaking in fear or rage or plain old horror, she had no idea.

“It wasn’t your fault, Robby.” Sam insisted again. “You did nothing wrong. You were just trying to - ”

“Yeah.” Robby nodded. “The army agreed.” He looked at Sam again. “They reclassified all the dead people as irregular combatants. They declared that since they attacked us first, we had no choice but to respond with force. They praised my bravery in the matter, gave me a commendation and swept the whole mess under the rug.”

He smiled at her.

“So… that’s it. That’s the story behind my proud military service.” He said. “And I got a whole lot more like that one all over my body.”

“Robby...”

“What?” Robby snapped. “It wasn’t my fault? I did nothing wrong? I was only trying to survive? Spare me the bullshit, Sam. None of the sugarcoating changes the fact that that was a massacre and I started it.”

“You didn’t start it.” Sam snapped back. “That  _ man  _ started it… the one who ‘married’ and raped a 13-year old and messed her up so bad that she couldn’t tell who was actually on her side.” Sam took a deep breath. “Robby, you already told us that there are a lot of monsters out there, didn’t you?”

“Yeah...” Robby nodded. “And I was one of them.”

“No, you weren’t.” Sam shook her head firmly. “You were at war. You were facing bad guys and - ”

Robby was already shaking his head. 

“I used to think like that too.” He said. “That’s how I justified all the horrible shit I had to do. But the more time passed, the more I realized that the ones on the other side were no different than us. They were all fighting for the same things - their family, their friends, their loved ones...”

Wasn’t there something -  _ anything -  _ that she could say to make it better?

“Well, it’s in the past now.” She said. “You are done with fighting.”

“No I’m not.” Robby replied. “I still live with it, Sam. Every single day. And I’ll never get past it. And that’s why...” He sighed, tired. “And that’s why I can’t pretend to care about shit like pool parties or clothes. I can’t pretend like it never happened and enjoy my life like it didn’t mean anything. And I’m not going to pretend just to make you guys feel better about yourselves. Got it?”

“Robby - ”

“No, Sam.” Robby said firmly. “No to whatever shit you are planning already. No to the parties. No to going to clubs. No to any more shopping sprees. No to going on dates. No to all of it. Got it?”

Sam nodded slowly. 

“Can we atleast spend some time together?” She asked, hesitating. “Just the two of us… like… if you ever need to just vent some steam?”

Robby seemed to consider her proposal.

“Right now, I just want you to drop me off back home.” He replied eventually. 

Sam nodded and started the car up again. Atleast he didn’t say no to that. 


	6. Fresh Starts

_ “Any news?” Daniel asked as Johnny sat down next to him at the bar. _

_ This was how they always started these little weekly meetings of theirs. With the same question… and the same answer. _

_ Johnny shook his head. “I think my guy is just running up the bill at this point. You?” _

_ “Same.” Daniel replied, sliding a glass of whiskey over to him.  _

_ It’d been Daniel’s idea and it’d become a ritual of sorts for them. You were bound to repeat the mistakes of the past if you didn’t learn from them, so they’d decided to meet once a week and look back on theirs. And there were plenty of mistakes to look back upon. _

_ “He said it was too late.” Johnny told Daniel after downing his fourth drink. “That I was too late...” _

_ Daniel nodded wordlessly. This wasn’t the first time they’d been down this road and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last.  _

_ “When did it become too late?” Johnny asked. “I don’t even know when I screwed up my last chance with him. What the hell am I supposed to learn from that?” _

_ “Maybe that’s the lesson.” Daniel replied, quietly. “You never know when it’s gonna be your last chance… so act like every one is the last.” _

_ Johnny nodded. “What about you? What’s the one thing you would’ve changed?” _

_ “I don’t know...” Daniel shrugged. “I always thought I was doing the right thing. But now that I look back, all I can see are...” _

_ “... Mistakes.” Johnny finished. “I was always so scared of screwing up with him. I… I never knew what a good dad was supposed to be like. I mean… look at what I was working with, right? Kreese? Sid? I was so scared of passing that shit onto him that I screwed up by not being there for him at all. Always thought he was gonna be better off without me.” _

_ He noticed Daniel giving him a skeptical look.  _

_ “Really? That’s your excuse?” He asked.  _

_ “Hey, it’s not an excuse, okay.” Johnny said, defensively. “I’m not justifying it, I’m just trying to explain.” _

_ “That’s bullshit.” Daniel shook his head. “You screwed up because you had your head too far up your ass to try and figure out what Robby actually needed. Or how to give it to him. You never learned to put him first - and that’s what you are supposed to do with your kids.” _

_ “I tried…” _

_ “No, you didn’t.” Daniel replied. “I was there, remember? I was with Robby through a lot of it. And he always felt like he came a distant third with you. That you were always gonna put other things ahead of him.” _

_ Johnny swallowed and nodded. “Comes down to the same thing, doesn’t it? I just didn’t know how to be a good dad.” _

_ “No Johnny. You are a good dad.” Daniel corrected him. “To Miguel. I see him with you. I see how you can always put him first when he needs you to. I just don’t understand why you couldn’t do the same thing for Robby. Do you?” _

_ He had no answer for that one, did he? He’d wanted to. He’d promised himself over and over that he would do that. But somehow, when the moment came, there was always something… or someone… who’d needed him more. Or so he’d told himself.  _

_ “He never wanted my help.” Johnny said, tonelessly. “He always pushed me away. H-he never gave me a chance...” _

_ “Yeah, because that’s how you live your life, right?” Daniel scoffed. “Waiting for others to hand you a chance to do the right thing. And if they don’t… oh well, atleast you wanted to do the right thing.” _

_ No, it wasn’t. That wasn’t what he’d learned. That wasn’t what he taught his students. So why…? _

_ “What was I supposed to do?” Johnny asked. “Force him to accept my help? He didn’t want that.” _

_ “He was a kid. He didn’t know what he wanted.” Daniel replied. “I just know that that’s what he needed. And I know that that’s what I do whenever my kids need my help. Even now...” _

_ “So why didn’t you do that for Robby?”  _

_ “I tried… but...” Daniel sighed. “I’m not his father. I could never have made him do something he didn’t want to. You could’ve but… I guess you didn’t want to.” _

_ “I wanted...” Johnny shook his head. “I didn’t want him to hate me.” _

_ “How did that work out for you?” Daniel chuckled. “You cared more about him liking you than doing what was right for him and you ended up with jackshit.” Daniel sighed. “And now… he’s probably dead in an alley somewhere and we don’t even know it.” _

_ “No, he’s not.” That was one thing Johnny was certain of. “I may have messed things up in every possible way, but the one thing it did was make him a fighter. Robby is a fighter. He’s smart and tough and he can handle whatever shit life throws at him better than I ever could. He’s alive out there - I just know it.” _

_ “Yeah, you are probably right.” Daniel agreed, finishing his drink. “But what kind of life, Johnny? And with whom?” _

* * *

Johnny hesitated in front of the closed door, his hand hovering over the half-turned handle. 

_ He’s not a goddamn kid anymore. He’s a grown man who has seen shit that you can’t even imagine. He doesn’t need your help. He doesn’t want your help. And you can’t help him anyway.  _

It’d been a shout that had woken Johnny up and he’d almost rushed into Robby’s room to see what was wrong before pausing to question whether he should. After all, he wasn’t even sure of what he’d heard. He might've just imagined it. So he’d waited for a moment, listening intently and then he’d heard it again - a deep, uncomfortable moan coming from inside. 

Robby was having a nightmare.

Johnny didn’t think Robby had gotten a good night’s sleep ever since he’d gotten back - maybe even long before that - but this one seemed worse than usual.

_ And what can you do about it? It’s not like you can make it any better. And you know he’d hate to look weak in front of you - especially you. The best thing you can do for him is give him his space and let him deal with it. _

_ Like you always do.... _

Steeling himself, Johnny turned the handle the rest of the way and quietly entered the room. It was pitch dark inside, not even a sliver from the street to light his way, but Johnny knew his way around well enough to silently pad his way inside. 

“Don’t move.” Robby called out sharply. 

He couldn’t see him, but the tone of that voice told him that he better obey. 

“Robby… it’s me.” Johnny said quietly. 

He could hear his son fumbling in the darkness, looking for the light switch by the bed. The sound of a flick and Johnny found himself squinting at the sudden brightness. And then his eyes widened as he found himself on the business end of a gun. 

“Robby! What the hell?” Johnny shouted, horrified. 

“What the hell are you doing in here?” Robby asked in return, his eyes trained on Johnny with deadly intent. 

“It’s just me, alright?” Johnny said, his eyes fixed on the barrel pointing straight at his chest. “Just calm down.”

“I am calm.” Robby replied evenly. “You are the one freaking out.”

That was true enough, Johnny realized. His hands were rock steady, his aim unwavering. 

“I asked you a question.” Robby repeated. “What the hell are you doing in here?”

“You were having a nightmare...” Johnny said, numbly.

“So?” Robby scoffed. “What? You thought you’d sing me a lullaby?”

“No... I… Look, can you just point that damn thing somewhere else?” 

“Huh...” Robby sounded a little surprised. He seemed to notice the gun in his hand for the first time at that moment. Chuckling, he flicked the safety on and pushed the weapon back under his pillow. 

“You sleep with a gun under your pillow?” Johnny asked, still trying to wrap his head around what had just happened. 

“What kind of pussy wouldn’t?” Robby replied, mockingly. 

“That...” Johnny shook his head. “Robby, that's dangerous. What if it goes off?”

“Safety’s on.” Robby replied, shrugging. 

“Where the hell did you even get that thing?”

“You know what country we live in, right?” Robby replied, incredulously. “I could buy one at a corner store if I want to.”

“Well, you can just sell it right back then.” Johnny said firmly. “I’m not gonna let you have a gun in here.”

“Better me than anyone who breaks in.” Robby shrugged. “Can you get out now? I wanna go back to sleep.”

“Not with that cannon under your head.” Johnny shouted. “I mean it. Give that thing to me. Right now.”

Robby looked at him like he’d grown a second head. 

“No.” He refused flatly. 

“I’m not kidding here.” Johnny insisted. “You are not at war anymore, okay? You don’t need that thing and it’s dangerous. You are safer without it.”

“I feel safer with it.” Robby replied. “I trust that thing a hell of a lot more than I trust you.”

Johnny sighed, closing his eyes and praying for patience. “I don’t care. You live under my roof, you have to follow my rules. Got it?”

“Got it.” Robby replied, nodding slowly. “So you want me to move out right now or can I spend the night?”

Johnny blinked, taken aback. 

“You’d rather live in the streets than give up a dumb gun?” He asked. 

“You’d rather kick me out than let me keep it?” Robby replied. 

“Robby...”

“Think you forgot how this little arrangement of ours is supposed to work, dad.” Robby said to him, coldly. “I’m not here to make life easier for you. It’s supposed to be the other way around. You are the one who needs this - not me. So… the gun stays where it is. Got it?”

He couldn’t reply… not right away. 

“Got it.” Johnny said, finally defeated. 

“Good.” Robby replied, turning away. “Now get out of here.”

Numbly, Johnny turned to leave. He’d have to do something about this. He was in way over his head. He didn’t know what or how but…

“And dad...” Robby called out, his voice quieter this time. 

Johnny stopped at the door and turned around, waiting for him to go on. 

“Don’t you ever try to sneak up on me again! I will pull the trigger the next time.”

* * *

Robby had been dragging his feet for a while. He kept coming up with excuses to put off working at Cobra-Do. He’d avoided even visiting the place… but now that Johnny had finally gotten him there...

“You like it?” Johnny asked, hopeful. “LaRusso rents the place to me and I kinda have to keep most of the decor… but I did make a few changes of my own when we... uh... renovated”

Robby looked around critically, examining the Miyagi house critically, looking for things that had changed since the last time. 

“This was the place I spent the happiest summer of my life.” Robby said, softly. 

Johnny nodded. “We can build on that, right? Make more happy memories?”

“No.” Robby shook his head. “All this does now is remind me that even that time was a lie.”

One step forward, two steps back. 

Robby didn’t seem to care much, though. He kept walking around, casually looking through things. And every now and then, he stopped to look intently at some of the things he seemed to recognise. 

“That’s our trophy wall.” Johnny said proudly when Robby stopped in front of the wide array of cups and plaques along the layered wooden planks. “We didn’t win every year but we did win a lot and I want my students to know about every one of them.”

“Starting from the very first one, I see?” Robby said, looking down at the first one in that row. 

Miguel’s first place trophy, from way back in 2018, standing beside Robby’s second place one from the same year. Johnny’s heart caught in his throat as his mind went back to that day. 

“I was… proud of the way you fought that day.” He said, finding his voice. “You were hurt but you still pushed through it. And you fought honorably. Your... achievement that day was… as good as Miguel’s.”

Robby stared at him, quizzically. 

“I just… wanted you to know that.” Johnny went on, a little flustered. “That’s why I put the two trophies side by side - on the same level.”

“Equal?” Robby said, frowning. “That was the time Diaz fought dirty, right?”

Johnny nodded, wincing at the memory. “He changed after that.”

“Yeah… he was Cobra Kai back then, right? Not… Cobra-Do?” Robby mused, picking up Miguel’s trophy and looking at the words on it carefully. “And… you are not running the same kind of dojo anymore?”

“No. Ofcourse not.” Johnny agreed, relieved. 

“So… I really can’t think of a reason to honor a victory won by fighting dirty. Can you?” Robby asked, smirking. 

_ Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.  _

That trophy meant a lot of Miguel. He himself may not be proud of how exactly he’d won it, but that had been his first time winning something like that. His first time proving himself. 

_ And Miguel always comes first, right? _

Closing his eyes, Johnny shook his head in agreement. He heard the snap of the trophy being broken in two and the clatter as Robby threw it over his shoulder. 

_ Miguel will understand. I’ll make him understand. He’s more mature now… this kind of shit won’t matter to him. _

“What the hell is this?” He heard Robby say and opened his eyes. 

Robby was looking through the plaques on the top shelf and his eyes were frozen on the framed object right in the middle. 

“It's...” Johnny frowned, confused. “It’s the medal of honor.”

“ _ My _ medal of honor.” Robby turned on him, angrily. “You put it  _ here _ ?”

_ How did I screw up now? What did I do wrong this time? _

“I wanted to keep your memory alive.” Johnny tried to explain. “I wanted to… give it the respect it deserved.”

“Respect? This place?” Robby spat, disgusted. “Sure… winning some dumb tournament… dying to save your friends… they’re both the same thing, right? Equally respectable?”

Johnny closed his eyes again, his heart sinking. 

“I didn’t mean it like that.” He said, regretfully. 

“You didn’t deserve to have it in the first place.” Robby snapped, angrily snatching the frame from the shelf. “This was supposed to be something personal, alright? Something to be kept close to remember me by. Not some fucking decoration on your fucking dojo wall.”

“Robby… I’m sorry...”

But Robby wasn’t listening. He angrily turned away and stuffed the frame in the bag he’d brought along. 

“Think I’ve seen enough here.” He said, angrily. “Let’s talk about what we are gonna teach your loser students.”

“We are teaching them karate.” Johnny said, sighing. “Self-defence.”

“Which one is it?” Robby asked. “Because they are not the same thing.”

“Look, if you think I’ll let you bring back Kreese’s methods...”

“That’s not what I said.” Robby snapped. “Tell me - what do you teach your students to do if someone pulls a knife on them? Or a gun? What if there is a guy with a sub-machine gun on top of a building spraying bullets into a crowd - what are they supposed to do then? What do they do if they are in a rioting crowd and people are getting trampled all around them?”

“What are you talking about?” Johnny frowned, confused. 

“That teaching them just karate is stupid.” Robby replied. “Learning how to punch and kick isn’t gonna help you block bullets. That hand-to-hand shit is pretty much useless in most of the life-threatening situations you might get into. You wanna teach them self-defense? You need to teach them that shit first.”

Johnny hesitated. 

This wasn’t what his dojo was supposed to be about. He wanted to prepare these kids for the tough world out there, sure, but not to this extent. Most of them would probably never even have to face a real fight, let alone one that was actually life-threatening. And his karate was supposed to make them feel more confident and safe… not scare them half to death. 

But Robby needed this. He knew what he was talking about and he’d clearly experienced a lot of this shit first hand. And passing on what he knew to others… maybe that could be his way of finding meaning in everything he’d had to suffer through?

“How do we start?” Johnny asked, nodding in agreement.

“I got some ideas...”


	7. Charity

_ Sam kicked out behind her and felt it connect with her attacker’s leg, driving him back. But the hand on her back grabbed the the knotted string of her two-piece swimsuit, making her squeal as the top almost fell off.  _

_ “You asshole!” She cried, holding it up with one hand. “That’s cheating!” _

_ She reached out, trying to grab the drawstrings of the boardshorts to return the favor, but Miguel danced out of reach just in time.  _

_ “Nice try, LaRusso!” He laughed bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Gotta fight smarter than that?” _

_ Fight smart? Sam narrowed her eyes and reached into the bucket beside her for a handful of shaved ice. Yeah, she could fight smart too. _

_ “What do you think you are doing with that?” Miguel asked, his smile disappearing. _

_ “You’ll see...” Sam smiled back. _

_ “Oh shit!” _

_ He turned and ran like the coward he was and Sam pursued her prey. Laughing and yelling, she followed him around the pool and into their pool house, and then jumped on his back, tackling him onto the futon still in there. _

_ “Cold! Cold! Cold! Cold! Cold!” Miguel screamed as Sam smeared his bare back with the ice.  _

_ He twisted his body, throwing her off and a moment later, he was on top of her, pinning her arms above her head.  _

_ “You are nasty piece of work, Sam.” He said, writhing and trying to dislodge the ice.  _

_ “And don’t you forget it.” Sam replied.  _

_ His back might’ve been cold, but his chest was warm and wet against hers. She’d lost her top somewhere along the way during the chase, but she didn’t mind. Not if it meant more skin to skin contact with her boyfriend. She arched upwards, parting her lips invitingly and Miguel leaned down, accepting it. She felt his hand trail down her side and start loosening her bikini and she sighed in pleasure.  _

_ Then she felt a chill go through her as she realized where they were.  _

_ “Miguel, wait!” She said, pushing at his chest. “Let’s go inside.” _

_ Miguel stopped and looked at her, confused.  _

_ “Someone could walk in.” She explained.  _

_ “You told me no one’s gonna be home for hours.” Miguel frowned. “You want me to close the door?” _

_ “No… let’s just go to my room.” Sam suggested. _

_ “C’mon… I don’t want to get water all over your mom’s new carpet!” Miguel whined. “And I wanna go into the pool again. Let’s just do it here.” _

_ “No! Not here.” Sam replied, suppressing a shudder. _

_ “Why not?” His smile disappeared and his face got serious. “Sam… why not here?” _

_ She couldn’t tell him. They’d had too many fights on this subject already.  _

_ “Is it because  _ **_he_ ** _ used to live here?” Miguel guessed correctly.  _

_ “Let’s just go inside, okay?” Sam suggested quietly, putting her hand over his.  _

_ “Are you kidding me?” Miguel said, pulling away. “He stayed here for one summer - that doesn’t make it his room, okay? What? Did he piss in here to mark his territory?” _

_ “Miguel...” _

_ “You guys...” He shook his head, frustrated. “You’ve kept this place like he left it like some kind of fucking shrine to him. But newsflash: he’s not dead. He turned into an asshole and then he chose to run. And I, for one, am glad that he is out of our lives for good.” _

_ “Miguel!” Sam’s voice was sharper this time. “Do you want to go inside or not?” _

_ Miguel stared back at her.  _

_ “No. I don’t think I do.” He replied, coldly. “You know, one of these days you are gonna have to make up your mind.” _

_ “I already have.” Sam replied, tersely. _

_ “Yeah?” Miguel scoffed. “So you don’t love him anymore?” _

_ “Ofcourse I love him.” Sam replied immediately. “I may be in love with you and not him, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love him.” _

_ “Even after everything he did?” _

_ Sam shuddered at the memory what Robby had become… of the things he’d done. _

_ “Even after that.” She replied.  _

_ Miguel nodded angrily and got up to go. _

_ “So why are you still with me then?” He asked. “Are you really in love with me or do you just feel sorry for me?” _

_ “Sorry for you…?” _

_ “Because I broke my back.” Miguel clarified. “Because I couldn’t walk. Because I’m still not as good as I used to be or could be.” _

_ “You think I care about that?” Sam asked, indignant.  _

_ “You know what I think?” Miguel retorted. “I think you just pick the sorriest loser to love like an act of charity. Like you are doing them a favor by letting them love you… but once they are not such losers anymore, you ditch them and move on to the next one.” _

_ The words hit her like a punch to the gut… but Sam had learned to give as good as she got.  _

_ “Well, in that case, you don’t have anything to worry about.” She snapped back. “Because I won’t be ditching you anytime soon.” _

* * *

“How’s working with Johnny going?” Sam asked. “Going good?”

For a moment, it didn’t seem like Robby had heard her. His eyes stayed focused on the droning news on the tv-set. Some boring segment on developing technologies around the world that Robby had put on and Sam had only been half-listening to. 

“It’s going.” Robby replied after a while. “Might be going better if he didn’t keep undermining me.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t mean to - ”

“Yeah. He never does.” Robby scoffed. 

Sam sighed. She knew Johnny Lawrence was really trying this time - heart and soul - but Robby wasn’t making it easy for him. 

“What did he do this time?” She asked. 

“He didn’t like what I taught those kids about guns.” Robby replied. 

_ Don’t judge unless you know the whole story. _

“Which was…?”

“That karate is pretty much useless against guns.” Robby replied. “That if someone pulls a gun on you, you are better off just surrendering and handing that guy whatever he asks for. That it’s better to be an alive pussy than a dead badass.”

“That...” Sam frowned. “That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“He had a problem with me talking about guns in the first place.” Robby explained. “He didn’t want to scare the kids… or put ideas in their heads. But guns are out there and a lot of bad people have them. If you ask me, teaching those kids that they can take care of anything if they know karate is the real dangerous lesson here.”

Sam nodded slowly. Maybe Mr. Lawrence’s side of the story was different than this one but based on what Robby was saying… but Johnny wasn’t there and Robby was.

“You know how he is.” She said, comfortingly. “He’s set in his ways and he hates changing. But he always comes around… sees sense. Just give him some time.”

Robby hmpd noncommittally. 

“Would you… like to come over for dinner at our place some time?” Sam asked. “Or maybe just drinks?”

Robby turned to her and raised a quizzical eyebrow. 

“With you and… Miguel?” He laughed. “Don’t think he’d like that.”

Sam sighed. These two were grown men now - too mature to get into fist-fights over imagined slights. But in certain ways, men never really grew up and despite everything, the two of them still didn’t like each-other. 

“Miguel’s just a little jealous of you.” Sam said, diplomatically. “He kind of always wanted to be a badass and you are kind of the most badass guy around.”

“Bullshit.” Robby scoffed. “What does he have to be jealous of? He got everything I ever wanted and I was the loser left with nothing.”

There it was again… the unrelenting self-deprecation.

“Robby...” Sam started. 

“Now, if you’d told me that he was jealous because he thought there was still something there between us...” He suggested, smiling smugly.

“There isn’t.” Sam replied, evenly. 

“Then tell him that.” Robby said, shrugging as he turned back towards the TV. “Tell him about the scars. Tell him how you’d never go for a freak like that. That should put his mind at ease.”

Sam stared at him speechless while Robby went back to the news. 

“That’s not...” She struggled to say. “That’s not true...”

“No?” He raised his eyebrow. “So you would sleep with me?”

What was the right answer here? She didn’t want to give him false hope by saying yes. But by saying no, she’d just be validating everything bad he thought about himself. 

“I already told you - I don’t need your fucking charity.” Robby said coldly. “Stop trying to protect my feelings and just be honest for once.”

Sam pursed her lips angrily. “You want honesty? Fine.” She sat up straighter. “I could never be with someone like you and it has nothing to do with the scars. I can’t be with you because you are always looking for the worst in everyone and everything. You are always so negative. And that’s not something I can live with.”

“Then why are you here at all?”

“Because I still care about you.” Sam replied firmly. “And I’m going to show you that you are wrong.”

Robby chuckled dryly. “Okay then. Give it your best shot.”

Silence reigned in the room as they both went back to the TV. And Robby spoke up a while later. 

“Can I ask you something? Why aren’t you and Miguel married yet?”

Sam hesitated. She wasn’t sure she should be getting into this particular topic with him. 

“I mean, you have been together since high-school. So…?”

“It’s complicated.” Sam demurred. 

Robby nodded slowly. “This thing between us can’t be a one-way street, Sam.” He told her. “You want me to trust you? Then you gotta start trusting me as well.”

He wasn’t wrong. She couldn’t ask him to keep sharing his deepest, darkest damages while giving him nothing in return…

“We haven’t been together this whole time.” Sam told him quietly. “We… broke up during college because we went to different places. No matter what anyone tells you, the long-distance thing just doesn’t work. And then there were jobs and careers… and we were both dating other people too… and then we got together again and then we broke up again because...”

“Because…?” Robby prompted.

“Miguel wants kids and I don’t.” Sam replied. 

“Yeah. I get that.” Robby said, understandingly. “With all the shit going on in the world, I would be too scared to bring a kid into it too.”

Sam agreed and continued. “Well… we decided to put a pin on that for later. We got back together again and we were almost engaged a while back… but then all the crap happened with Anthony… and then Rosa and Carmen...”

“And then I showed up to mess things up?” Robby asked. 

“No!” Sam replied firmly. “That one you are dead wrong on. In fact, that’s why I want you and Miguel to learn how to get along. I know you guys would probably never be best friends, but can’t you two atleast be… friendly?”

Robby considered the proposal for a moment. “Sure. Guess I can give it a shot.”

“So you’ll come for those drinks?” Sam asked, smiling. 

“Sam...” Robby sounded tired. “I told you already - I’m not doing the whole socializing thing. What made you think I’d changed my mind?”

Sam bit her lip, a little nervously. She’d waited so long to bring this up and she’d been so certain that today was the right day to take the next step…

“Well… for one, you asked me over here today.” She replied. “I’m the one who is always showing up and forcing you to hang out with me… but today.”

Robby sighed and switched off the TV. 

“Yeah… I wanted to talk to you about something.” He explained. “I just… I don’t have it all figured out yet and… I didn’t know how to begin...”

Sam turned sideways on the couch, facing him and waited for him to go on. 

“I’ve been thinking a lot about Kreese.” Robby said. 

Even after all these years, that name still sent a chill down her spine. 

“He wasn’t always like that, you know?” Robby continued. “I heard some stories about him… read others… the guy was a war hero. He risked his life for his friends like a thousand times over the years.”

_ Everyone has a sob story…  _ Sam thought, but thought better of actually saying it. 

“It was like, nobody told him that the war was over.” Robby went on. “So he was always looking for his next battle - because for him, the war was never over.” He turned to look at Sam. “And it’s not over for me either.”

“You won’t end up like Kreese.” Sam assured him. “We won’t let you.”

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll end up worse.” Robby shrugged. “But that’s not what I wanted to talk about. The thing is, there are a lot of people out there like me - and Kreese. Veterans who are… lost. Traumatized. Guys who have no one to turn to. Nowhere to go. No one to rely on...”

Sam nodded, uncertain of where this was going. 

“I want to do something for them.” Robby finished. “Like… setup some kind of charity or something. Something that might help… I don’t know. I just figured you might have some ideas since you are this hotshot lawyer and all.”

“I do.” Sam sat up straighter, interested in the notion. “And I’m in tax law so this is kind of my wheelhouse...” She bit her lip doubtfully. “But Robby, we are gonna need a lot of money to setup something like this.”

“What about Sid’s money?” Robby suggested. “My dad’s stepdad - he left him like a fuckton of it when he died and Dad’s been too proud to touch even a dime of that.”

It  _ could  _ work. If they could get Johnny on board…

“I mean, it’s just sitting there, collecting dust.” Robby went on. “It’s not doing anyone any good. So why not use it to help people who - ?”

“Stop digging - you’ve hit oil.” Sam interrupted. “I’ll start looking into it right away… and you can get to work on getting your dad on board.”

Robby bit his lip, uncertainly. “I was hoping you could ask Miguel to do that.”

Sam frowned at him. 

“He’s the one my dad actually listens to.” Robby explained. 

Sam took a deep breath…

“He’ll listen to you.” She assured him. “On this one, he will. Trust me. Because if he doesn’t, I’m gonna personally kick his ass.”

That brought a smile to his face. “Almost makes me want him not to listen...”

* * *

The knock on the door was unexpected. They hadn’t ordered anything that she could recall and by the confused look on Robby’s face, he didn’t know either. 

“You expecting someone?” Sam asked. 

Robby shook his head. 

“Stay here.” He told her, getting up and padding to the door, quiet as a panther. She saw him check who it was and took special note of the whole process. First, Robby covered the peephole with his finger, making sure to keep his whole body out of the frame. After about 5 seconds of waiting, he peeked into it, still at an awkward angle while keeping his feet aside so that no shadow would be visible from under the frame. 

The second knock was more impatient and Sam saw Robby relax slightly as he undid the locks. 

“Runt!” Robby said, opening the door. “What the hell happened to you?”

It was one of the students from Johnny’s class. The small one… the one that reminded Sam of Nate. Were Johnny’s students in a habit of showing up on his doorstep all bruised and bloody?

“Is Sensei Lawrence here?” The boy asked quietly. “He said we can come for help any time we need.”

“He’s out.” Robby told him. 

The boy nodded and turned to go, but Robby stopped him half-way. 

“Hey - can’t let you walk around looking like that.” He said. “It’s bad for the dojo’s rep. Get inside.”

“It’s okay Sensei Keene sir.” Runt replied, a little scared. “I can come back - ”

“Wasn’t a request.” Robby told him. “Get your ass inside.”

Robby had clearly made an impression on Johnny’s students, judging by the alacrity with which the kid hastened to obey. His reputation alone would’ve been impressive, but if Robby was even half as intense with them as he was with grown ups… not to mention, the scars. 

“I’ll get the first aid kid.” Robby announced before heading to the kitchen and leaving Sam with a 14 year old staring wide-eyed at her.

“So… what happened there?” Sam asked, casually ignoring the eyes glued to her chest. 

“Fell down the stairs...” The kid said, quietly. 

That old excuse? Kids were still using those?

“Sure it wasn’t some assholes messing with you?” Sam prompted.

He shook his head firmly. 

“There is nothing to be ashamed about losing a fight, you know?” Sam comforted him. “I’ve lost plenty of them myself.”

“Let it go, Sam.” Robby said from behind her. “What happened is the kid’s business.”

_ And yours. You are his Sensei. This is the kind of thing you are supposed to care about. _

“Sit up.” Robby ordered, sitting down on the table opposite to him and taking out the spirit soaked swabs. 

The boy hissed in pain as Robby started cleaning up the blood on his lip and cheek. 

“Don’t be a baby.” Robby told him. “This is what you get when you get your ass kicked by a bunch of dumb stairs.”

“Yes Sensei!” The boy agreed.

“What were you trying to do? Be a badass?” Robby asked. 

Runt shrugged. “Sensei Lawrence said that if you show people what a badass you are, no one will mess with you.”

“So, you feel like a badass now?” Robby scoffed. “What the hell did  _ I  _ teach you?”

“That real badasses don’t need to show off.” Runt admitted. “But everyone keeps - ”

“What else?” Robby rolled over him.

“Pick your battles.” The boy continued. “Speak softly but carry a big stick.”

“And were you doing any of that?”

Runt shook his head, lowering it, but Robby lifted it up again and continued cleaning him up. 

“I told you, didn’t I? You are not like the other kids in the dojo. You need to learn how to play by different rules. And you gotta be smart about it.” Robby looked the kind straight in the eye. “You gonna be smarter from now on?”

Runt nodded. 

“Good.” Robby told him. “Now tell me again what happened?”

The boy cast a furtive glance towards Sam and looked down before speaking. 

“Some guys were making fun of me.” He told them quietly. “I didn’t like it, so I attacked them. But they were bigger and there were three of them… so they just kicked my ass instead.” He looked at Sam nervously again. “I don’t… I don’t want to get in trouble over this. I don’t want anyone else to get in trouble either.”

Robby gave that kid a quiet, considering look. 

“It was a training accident.” He told him. “You were practicing your karate and you accidentally caught a stray punch. How’s that? You can even skip class tomorrow if you like.”

Runt looked relieved at that. “Thank you, Sensei.”

“You need me to drop you off home?” Robby asked. 

“No - I got it.” The boy stood up and headed towards the door right away. He paused before turning back once more. “Really Sensei… thanks.”

With a nod from Robby, the boy was gone, closing the door behind him.

Sam sat there silently for a minute, unsure of what to make of the whole exchange. Whatever Robby’s style of “teaching” was, it was nothing like the tough taskmaster approach his father took. Nor was it like the gentle encouragement you could expect from Daniel. 

“What was that all about?” Sam asked, finally.

“Kid’s a scrapper. He just keeps getting into fights.” Robby explained. “Dad has already yelled at him till he was blue in the face about starting shit, but Runt doesn’t listen. He almost decided to kick him out of the dojo a week back, but I convinced him not to.”

That made even less sense. The kid hadn’t seemed like the crazy psycho who’d pick fights for the hell of it.

“So he’s not being bullied?” Sam asked. “He is the bully?”

“No - he’s not a bully and he’s not being bullied either.” Robby replied. “He’s being abused.”

_ Abused?  _ That left her speechless.

“His dad drinks.” Robby went on with the explanation. “And he has a short fuse. There have been a couple of visits from a social worker before, but his mom told them that the bruises were from fighting with other kids and… well, Runt backed her up.”

“Does… your dad know?” Johnny would never abandon a student in that kind of trouble, would he?

“Nobody knows.” Robby replied. “Kid’s smart. He knows how to cover for this shit. And somehow, everyone just missed that fact that he gets some new bruises over the weekends as well.”

“So… how did you…?”

“Met his mom once.” Robby shrugged. “Guess I recognized the signs.”

_ From your own childhood, right? _

“We have to tell someone.” Sam said, desperately. “We’ve to tell your dad.”

“He’d flip his shit.” Robby shook his head. “He’d head right over and beat the crap out of that guy.”

“Well… maybe he should.”

“And who do you think is gonna end up paying for that, huh?” Robby asked, turning on her angrily. “This isn’t some schoolyard bully that’s just gonna leave him alone, alright? He lives with the guy. And the next time his old man drunk and pissed off, it’ll be even worse for them.”

“Not if we get him away from there.” Sam replied. “If we talk to the social worker… or the cops...”

“And you think Runt’s gonna thank us for landing him in a group home?” Robby asked. “Why the hell do you think the kid’s going this far to cover for them? Because despite everything he still wants to be with his mom and dad.”

“Doesn’t matter!” Sam said, getting angry herself. “The kid’s being  _ abused _ . Robby… how can you not understand…?”

“I understand better than you.” Robby replied, coldly. “I know that I’d rather have had a dad that smacked me around every now and then than one who wasn’t there at all.”

He was right, she realized. Sam’s knowledge on the subject was academic, but Robby’s came from personal experience. He was more intimately familiar with the complexities of the matter. 

“We can’t do nothing...” Sam pleaded. 

“I’m already doing something.” Robby replied. “This isn’t a battle you win, Sam. It’s one you survive. And that’s what I’m trying to teach him… to keep his head down… to avoid any triggers… to protect himself without confronting...”

“And that’s gonna be enough?”

“No...” Robby sighed, frustrated. “But if you can think of a way to make his dad stop without breaking up his family, I’m all ears. Until then, this is the best I got.”

“But if it’s his family that’s hurting him, then wouldn’t he be better off without them?”

“Maybe… but not if it’s not his choice.” Robby replied.

There had to be something… some way… why couldn’t she think of anything?

“I think I’m done hanging out for the day.” Robby said, leaning back on the couch. “I wanna be alone now.”

Sam nodded wordlessly and stood up, gathering her things and getting ready to leave. 

“You’ll look into that charity thing?” Robby asked her. 

“I will. Right away.” Sam replied. “And you talk to your dad.”

She was almost out the door when she stopped and turned around as well. 

“You are never gonna end up like Kreese, Robby.” She told him. “The way you care about that kid… the way you talked to him… Kreese didn’t have that kind of love in him.”

“You don’t know that...” Robby replied. 

“Well, I know this,” Sam said firmly. “Watching how you were with him made me think what a great father you’d make one day.”

That brought a wan smile to his face. 

“You offering LaRusso?” He asked. 

Shaking her head in amused annoyance, Sam walked out and closed the door behind her. 


	8. Heartbreakers

_ Miguel gratefully accepted the bottle of beer offered and waited for Johnny to sit down beside him before taking a swig. _

_ “We’ve never really talked about Robby, have we?” He mused quietly.  _

_ “Sure we have...” Johnny replied, frowning. _

_ “No...” Miguel shook his head. “Sometimes you talk about him and I listen and sometimes I talk about him and you listen… but we never talk to each-other about him. We never… discuss him.” _

_ “You want to talk about Robby?”  _

_ “No… I want to talk about my breakup.” Miguel sighed. “But I don’t know how to do that without talking about Robby. And… I’ve kind of avoided talking about him because… you know...” _

_ Johnny nodded understandingly. This was probably one of the few topics they couldn’t see eye to eye on and neither wanted to fall out over it.  _

_ “So what do you want to talk about?” Johnny asked.  _

_ “I want to know why everyone is so obsessed with that guy?” Miguel asked, frustrated. “After everything he did… shouldn’t we be glad that he’s gone?” _

_ “You are not gonna understand… and I guess that’s a good thing.” Johnny told him. “You didn’t… owe him anything to begin with. You didn’t let him down. But the rest of us did. And that’s something we can never make right...” _

_ “What about what he owes you?” Miguel asked back. “It’s okay for him to hurt others however he wants?” _

_ “He didn’t want to...” Johnny shook his head. “And if I’d been there...” _

_ “Don’t, okay?” Miguel said, frustrated. “Don’t go taking the blame for the crap he pulled.” _

_ “Fine...” Johnny sighed. “I was never there for my son and now I lost any chance I might’ve had of having a relationship with him. Sam broke his heart even though he was a good boyfriend to her and she was part of the reason why his life became such a mess. Daniel failed his student and ended up losing him. All that is crap that we did. Whatever Robby did after, it doesn’t change any of that and it doesn’t make us regret it any less. And the fact that we might never get a chance to make things right...” He turned to Miguel. “Why the hell do you have a problem with that?” _

_ “I don’t.” Miguel replied, sullenly taking another sip from his beer.  _

_ He sat there fuming for a few minutes, trying to figure his thoughts out.  _

_ “It just feels like I can’t compete with the guy.” He said, finally. “Everyone acts like he was so perfect and could do no wrong?” _

_ “Everyone?” Johnny asked, amused.  _

_ Miguel ignored the sally. “It’s like… why isn’t the guy who stuck around good enough for you?” _

_ Johnny’s smile disappeared. “He asked me the same thing once, you know?” He told Miguel quietly. “‘Why wasn’t I ever good enough for you?’ Do I make you feel like that too?” _

_ “No.” Miguel sighed. “Not you...” _

_ “Sam.” Johnny said, nodding understandingly. “Miguel… she chose you. Even when Robby was here, she still chose you. Why isn’t that good enough for  _ **_you_ ** _?” _

_ “Because… I think she feels like she made a mistake.” Miguel replied. “That if she could do it over, she’d...” _

_ “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard in my life.” Johnny scoffed. “Don’t tell me that’s the reason you two broke up this time. Over a guy who isn’t even here?” _

_ “It’s not.” Miguel shook his head. “Not completely. We just keep fighting about things… about college and internships… and Robby… we fight a little too much.” _

_ “Dude… you have a good thing going here, okay? Don’t screw it up over something this stupid.” Johnny told him. “Take it from someone who has been through it - spending your life pining over a girl can really mess up your life.  _

_ “You found mom...” Miguel reminded him.  _

_ “Yeah… after 30 years.” Johnny replied. “You want that for your life?” _

_ Miguel pursed his lips and shook his head.  _

_ “So… I should just crawl back to her and beg her to take me back?” Miguel asked.  _

_ “Or just get over her and find someone else if you don’t love her anymore.” Johnny said. “But don’t use Robby as an excuse for why it’s not working out.”  _

_ “And… what if she doesn’t want me?” Miguel asked.  _

_ “Welcome to the heartbreak club, kid.” Johnny chuckled, raising his bottle to him. _

* * *

He shouldn’t be doing this anymore. He was a grown man now after all. Too old to go running to his Sensei everytime he had a problem. And Sensei had bigger problems anyway… someone else to take care of. Someone who needed him more. And doing that was really important to him. 

So what if Johnny had told him that Robby’s return wasn’t going to change anything? That he’d still be there for Miguel whenever he needed him? That’s what one was supposed to say, right? And what did it matter what he said… Miguel butting in like this could ruin things with Robby and Miguel didn’t want to do that to Johnny. He didn’t want to be the reason why Johnny might end up failing his son again.

On the other hand, it wasn’t like Miguel had anyone else to turn to and it was just one night…

Breathing in, he raised his hand and pressed the doorbell. 

“Sam kicked me out.” Miguel said when Johnny opened the door. “Can I crash here tonight?”

Robby was being civil tonight atleast. Well, he barely made a comment after the initial ‘hey’ and Miguel was good with that because he really didn’t want to talk to the guy. He had been part of their big blowout after all. 

“It’s like… she has become a lawyer through and through.” Miguel complained. “It’s not that easy for everyone to separate the personal and professional, okay? She just doesn’t care about right and wrong anymore?”

“This is about work?” Johnny asked, still trying to process the rant. 

Miguel sighed and launched into the explanation. “I got a new patient assigned to me. Neurological symptoms. Probably a brain tumor. I’ll need to operate to save his life.”

“Isn’t that your job?” Johnny quipped. 

“The patient’s Judge Brandon Myers.” Miguel told him.

“Oh...” Johnny’s face cleared up with understanding while Robby looked between them confused. 

“Someone you know?” He asked. 

“He’s the one who ordered Rosa’s deportation.” Johnny explained. “He didn’t even give us a chance to plead her case.”

“Ah...” Robby nodded. “But… he was just doing his job, right?”

“And that makes it okay?” Miguel asked, incredulously. “To destroy someone’s life just because it’s your job? I’m not gonna treat the guy who did that to me. And I’m not gonna treat him so he can go and do it to more families.”

“Well...” Robby said musing. “If you don’t want him to do it to others, then your best option might be to treat him and make sure he doesn’t make it through.”

_ What the hell?  _ “Are you insane?” Miguel said, indignantly. “I’m not gonna kill a patient.”

“Just a suggestion...” Robby replied, smiling smugly. 

“He’s kidding.” Johnny interjected. “But what does this have to do with Sam?”

Miguel sighed. “Sam thinks I should just suck it up and do it.” He told them. “That I took an oath and it’s my responsibility to treat any patient that comes my way, no matter who they are. But I don’t have to if I don’t want to. There are other surgeons. So it’s not like I’m sentencing him to death or anything.”

“Yeah… that makes sense.” Johnny nodded. “I mean… given this personal connection, maybe you shouldn’t be treating him anyway, right? Isn’t that some conflict of interest or some shit?”

“No… Sam says that doesn’t apply to doctors.” Miguel replied. “And if I go around refusing patients for some personal beef, it’ll hurt my reputation. We’ve been fighting about it for hours.”

Not just that, though. That had only been the starting point. The fight had moved on to other acrimonious subjects after a while. Sam’s reluctance to visit Ecuador because Robby needed her there. The hours she was putting into setting up the charity that Robby had asked for. The hours she was spending with Robby… sometimes it felt like it was Robby, Robby, Robby all the fucking time. 

“Don’t use Robby as an excuse for your problems.” She’d screamed. 

“He’s not an excuse… he IS the problem.” Miguel had shouted back. 

But that wasn’t something he could talk about here and now. 

“Think I’ll head out for the night.” Robby said, casually getting up. “Miguel can take the bed... I don’t plan on coming home tonight.”

“Where are you going?” Johnny asked, suddenly nervous.

“Out.” Robby replied, shrugging on the jacket that Sam had bought him. 

“Robby… you don’t have to leave just because Miguel’s here.” Johnny told him quickly. “You can sleep in your own bed. Miguel can take the guest room.”

“Why? It was his room to begin with.” Robby shrugged. “Besides, I have better things to do than listen to him whine all night.”

Miguel resisted the urge to retort to that and chose to wait for the guy to leave instead. But Robby just had to get in one last thing before going. 

“For what it’s worth, I think Sam’s right and you are being a dumbass.” He said, standing before them. “You should treat the guy. And save his life.”

“No one asked you.” Miguel said, more sullenly than he’d intended. 

“Don’t do it because it’s your job though.” Robby continued as if he didn’t hear him. “Don’t do it because you took some dumb oath or because it’s the right thing to do or any shit like that. Do it because it’d be good to have a guy in that position owe you one.”

That got his attention. 

“What do you mean?” Miguel asked, frowning. 

“Just that you might want to try and bring your gandma back here someday.” Robby explained. “And if you do, might be good to have the guy to deported her in the first place on your side this time. Might improve her chances of getting back in…. But hey,” Robby shrugged. “No one asked me, right?”

He left, leaving the two of them pondering the notion. 

* * *

Sam felt a flicker of hope in her heart when she heard the doorbell. 

_ Maybe he’s back, finally ready to apologize… _

But Miguel had his keys, so he wouldn’t need to ring the bell. Tired and frustrated, she wrapped her robe tighter around her body and trudged her way to the front door of her apartment.

“Robby?” She asked, surprised, as she saw the man leaning casually against the door frame. “What are you doing here?”

“You invited me for drinks, remember?” He said, grinning at her. “You said I should come over sometime. Well, now’s sometime.”

“It’s not a good time.” She said, tiredly. “Can we do this some other time?”

“C’mon… I got the beer.” He said, holding up a six-pack. “And you haven’t even shown me your new place yet. You are not even gonna invite me in?”

“Robby… please...” Sam’s voice trembled. “I just had a big fight with Miguel, okay?”

Robby’s smile disappeared and was replaced by a sympathetic look. 

“I know.” He said. “Miguel just showed up at my dad’s to have a bitchfest about it.”

“He’s doing what?” Sam could feel her temper flaring up again. So Miguel had no intention of coming back that night after all.

“Yeah...” Robby confirmed. “So I just figured you could use a friend to have a little bitchfest of your own.”

Sam pursed her lips in a thin line and nodded tersely. “C’mon in then...”

Three beers down and Sam was feeling much, much lighter. Like all her troubles were getting lifted off of her and floating up in the air. 

“The thing is...” She slurred. “The problem is… he’s always so sure of right and wrong...” 

“Yeah…?” Robby prompted. 

“Like… if you don’t agree with him, then how can you be so evil.” Sam went on. “Like… he has the monopoly on deciding what the right thing is...”

“Yeah, I get it.” Robby agreed. 

“You do?” Sam asked, tilting her head. “You don’t think I’m some dumb woman who doesn’t know what she is talking about?”

“He did NOT say that, did he?” Robby asked incredulously. 

“He might as well have.” Sam replied. “That’s how he made me feel.”

“Jerk...”

“Like… no one forced you to become a doctor.” Sam went on. “That’s the job you wanted. And all of this comes with the territory. So just suck it up and do what you signed up for. You think I bitch about it every time some rich asshole wants me to find ways to cut corners on taxes? No - I just sack up and do my damn job.”

“I do get it.” Robby nodded. “It’s like, there will always be part of the job you won’t like. Doesn’t mean they are not worth doing.”

“You do get me.” Sam said, smiling warmly. 

“Well, I did use to kill people for a living.” Robby said, shrugging. “If anyone knows and thing or two about doing the dirty work - ”

“No-no-no-no-no...” Sam cut him off. “This is my pity party. You don’t get to hijack it with your tragic backstory.”

Robby laughed. A deep, full-bellied laugh the likes of which she hadn’t heard from him in years. “Fair enough...” He said, shrugging. 

“You haven’t changed much, have you?” Sam said, looking at him intently. “Even back when we were together, you always used to put me first. No matter what unfair thing I asked you to do...”

“See what you are missing?” Robby said, waggling his eyebrows “There is still time. Ditch that loser and we can start over again.”

Now it was Sam’s turn to laugh. “You are so bad...” She said, kicking him in the leg.

Robby still didn’t drink as much, Sam realized. She was almost done with her third beer while Robby was just now reaching for his second - moving closer to her in the process. 

“You are happy though, right?” He asked quietly. “You are not just staying with him just because you’ve been together for so long?”

“No, I’m happy.” Sam said, smiling fondly. “Well, most of the time. It’s… like with work. I don’t think anyone can be happy with what they have all the time.”

“I don’t know why not.” Robby mused. “I don’t get why people make up all these rules just to make themselves miserable. If it’s not physically hurting anyone, then why can’t you just do what you want when you want it?”

“Because… it’d be wrong...”

“C’mon, Sam. We both know that has nothing to do with it.” Robby said. “It’s about control, not morality.”

That did make sense, Sam thought through a buzzing head. People did make up a lot of rules just to control each-other. 

“If you really love someone, then you shouldn’t throw it away over something stupid like sex.” Robby continued. “You are lucky that you can love someone to begin with. I don’t think I’m ever gonna have that.”

“Don’t say that...” Sam told him. “I told you - your scars aren’t - ”

“Not talking about my scars.” Robby corrected her. “I’m just too fucked in the head. You were right before, you know? I don’t think I can ever love someone as much as you and Miguel love each-other. I’ll always be looking for things to go wrong… reasons why I shouldn’t trust this and why I shouldn’t get invested.”

“All these years… there hasn’t been anyone?” Sam asked. 

Robby shook his head. “Slim pickings in a dungeon, you know.” He laughed sadly. “But even before that… no one who made me feel the way you used to.”

_ Same here,  _ Sam wanted to say.  _ You were different from Miguel… you couldn’t love me like he could but he couldn’t love me like you could either… maybe that’s why… _

“It doesn’t have to be love… not right away.” Sam suggested. “You can just start by finding some comfort in each-other. Some… companionship. Even if you don’t end up falling in love, the good times you spend together would atleast mean something. You just need to find the right person for that.”

“And what if I already have?” Robby asked, looking into her eyes.

Sam blinked and stared at him wordlessly.  _ Is he talking about me? He’s talking about me, isn’t he? _

Suddenly, Robby closed the gap between them and put his mouth on hers. Sam was too buzzed to react right away, but she found her lips parting to let him in anyway. She felt a rush of warmth wash all over her, making her whole body tingle with excitement. 

_ This feels different. Not like before… New… Exciting…. So different from… _

_ Miguel! _

“Robby, stop!” Sam said, pushing him away.

_ I can’t do this. I can’t throw it all away. Things are good with Miguel and… sure we had a fight, but it’ll blow over. And then things would go back to… normal? _

“This is a mistake!” She said, more to herself.

And then she saw it - hurt and rejection written all over his face. 

_ I can’t do this to him… not again. I promised myself I’ll never hurt him again. If I do this… if I push him away… reject him… _

“But you know what?” She added. “I don’t care.”

This time, she closed the gap and put her lips on Robby’s. A calloused hand found its way inside her robe and she shuddered in pleasure as it made it’s scratching way over the smooth skin inside…

* * *

True to his word, Robby did end up staying out all night. He came back home early morning as Miguel was having his breakfast with Johnny. A cursory exchange of greetings and the guy casually sat down at the table and picked up an apple from the bowl. 

Something caught Johnny’s attention at that time. He squinted his eyes, looking carefully at his son. 

“Your shirt’s inside out.” Johnny commented, curiously. And then he smiled. “Did you get lucky last night?”

“Huh?” Robby looked down to check, noticing it for the first time. Then he shrugged. “Guess chicks dig scars after all.”

“That’s my boy!” Johnny said, grinning ear to ear.

Miguel frowned. So Robby had a one night stand. What was the big deal about that? Unless…

“Finally punched your V-card, huh?” He commented dryly. 

“Please. I did that when I was fourteen.” Robby replied. 

He said that as if he was proud of it, but the comment immediately made Sensei look down at the table uncomfortably. 

“So… you enjoy sleeping in your bed as much as I did?” Robby asked Miguel. 

There was some kind of taunt behind those words, a certain mockery, but Miguel didn’t get it, so he decided to let it go. 

“I took the couch, actually.” He told him instead. “Figured you might come back in the middle of the night.”

If the gesture actually meant anything to Robby, then Miguel saw no sign of that on his face. He simply kept munching on the apple without a care. 

“I also thought about what you said last night.” Miguel added. “You are right - treating that judge and having him owe me one is the smart play here. So I’m gonna do it.”

The slight nod was the only indication Miguel got that Robby had actually heard him. And he found the familiar irritation making its way up his spine once again. 

“So… I guess I’m trying to say thank-you.” Miguel explained. 

“That’s what you were trying to do?” Robby looked at him and chuckled. “Do a better job next time.”

Miguel had to literally bite his tongue to stop himself from saying something he might regret. 

“Think I’ll crash a while after all.” Robby said, getting up and stretching after leaving the apple core on the table. He gave Miguel a smug grin. “I didn’t get much sleep last night - if you know what I mean.”


	9. The Chance

_ “No, we are not gonna do that.” Daniel said, firmly.  _

_ “Why not?” Johnny asked.  _

_ He got an incredulous look in response. “Johnny, you can’t put kids inside a cement truck to train.” He said as if Johnny was a toddler. “There are fumes and chemical burns...” _

_ “Give me some credit, okay?” Johnny said, indignantly. “It worked out fine the last time.” _

_ “You’ve done that before??” Daniel’s voice was an octave higher. “Jesus Christ, Johnny - why not just throw them to a pack of wild dogs instead?” _

_ There was a flash of guilt across his face and Daniel’s eyes narrowed. “You did that too, didn’t you?” _

_ “Just two.” Johnny said, defensively. “And I was there the whole time. Hardly anyone got bit.” _

_ Daniel sighed, wiping his face with his hand. “Alright - new rule. No training that leaves any permanent scars. Agreed?” _

_ “Hey! Chicks dig scars.” Johnny replied - and then he saw the serious expression on Daniel’s face. “Alright - fine. We’ll do it your pussy way.” _

_ Daniel ignored the insult. “We need to figure out a good exercise to build their endurance. What kind of stuff did you...?” _

_ Johnny wasn’t paying attention anymore though. His eyes were glued to the skateboard collecting dust in the corner.  _

_ He’d wanted to work on the lesson plans by the pool - insisted on it, actually - over Daniel’s objections. And when it’d predictably gotten too hot and too bright to continue, they’d moved into the poolhouse without really thinking about it.  _

_ “Your son doesn’t skate, does he?” Johnny asked, already knowing the answer. _

_ “No.” Daniel confirmed quietly. “That’s Robby’s.” _

_ Johnny nodded. “And… the rest of the stuff in here?” _

_ “I wanted to keep everything like he left it.” Daniel explained. “So that when he decides to come back...” _

_ “Good. That’s good...” Johnny nodded again. “He should be here already. It’s not right that he isn’t here.” _

_ “Johnny...” _

_ “He was the first one, you know?” Johnny told him. “The first to tell me that the two of us could learn a lot from each-other. He deserves to be here.” _

_ Daniel nodded tightly. “He made his choice.” He replied. “We can’t help him if he doesn’t want our help.” _

_ “Can’t we?” Johnny asked. “Or are we just too chicken-shit to try anything?” _

_ Daniel frowned, interested. “You have something in mind?” _

_ “No...” Johnny sighed. “Just this horrible feeling that I’m screwing up all over again.” _

_ “Kreese has to go, Johnny.” Daniel said. “Cobra Kai has to go. I thought we agreed on that.” _

_ “We do… but where does that leave Robby?” Johnny asked. “Kreese has brainwashed him… convinced him that Cobra Kai is all he has. And if we win… if we take even that from him… what’s he gonna be left with?” _

_ “He’ll have us.” Daniel replied. “He still has us - he just doesn’t see it yet. But he will. Once we get rid of Kreese - ” _

_ “And if he doesn’t?” Johnny asked. “What if he doesn’t want to come back even after Kreese is gone?” _

_ Daniel considered the question. _

_ “I don’t know… I don’t have all the answers here.” He said, frustrated. “What do you want me to tell you here?” _

_ “I want you to tell me… that I’m not hurting him again.” Johnny said… and then shook his head. “No - that’s not… I already know I’m hurting him. I know he hates me for this… and everything else. But tell me that this is for his own good. That it’s necessary.” _

_ “Getting him away from Kreese?” Daniel replied. “Yes, Johnny. That’s for his own good.” _

_ “Then shouldn’t we be trying to do that now? Instead of waiting for the tournament?” Johnny asked. “We should be trying to convince him - ” _

_ “You think I don’t want to?” Daniel snapped. “I’ve already tried, okay? I don’t know what else to do. We can’t protect him from his own choices, Johnny!” _

_ He sighed and took a deep breath. _

_ “But we can protect him from Kreese - and we will.” He added.  _

_ “What do you mean?”  _

_ “You know Kreese won’t take losing well.” Daniel told him. “I’m sure you remember… well - he could take it out on Robby this time. But we won’t let him. We’ll be there to… protect him. And then he’ll know who is really on his side. Who really cares about him.” _

_ Johnny nodded slowly. That was the only option that he could see. The only choice in front of him. Robby would have to face the consequences to understand his mistake.  _

_ And yet, he couldn’t shake this nagging feeling that he was making yet another mistake.  _

_ “And...” Johnny asked after a while. “Would you say the same thing if it was your daughter over there?” _

_ Daniel didn’t have an answer to that one. _

* * *

“You are good at this.” Sam said, contented, as he lay her head on Robby’s shoulder and idly traced the scars over his bare chest. “Sure feels like you’ve had lots of practice.”

It was true - Robby could make her feel things that Miguel never did. But it wasn’t just about the technique.

Miguel… made love to her. He was always gentle and caring and respectful. Loving and passionate, but always so mindful.

But Robby fucked. He was desperate and hungry - like he was dying of thirst and Sam was the blessed rain on his arid sands. Like when they were together, she was his whole world and he never wanted to leave.

Nobody had ever made Sam feel so wanted. So… needed.

“Hmm...” Robby replied. 

He was distracted. His mind was somewhere else today and Sam knew exactly where. 

“It’ll be okay.” She reassured him. “We’ll figure it out, I promise.”

“Are you sure you can’t be my lawyer?” Robby asked again. “Sam… I trust you. You might be the only one that I actually trust right now.”

Sam shook her head. “I told you - I’m in tax law, not litigation.” She said. “I won’t be any good at it. But the guy I recommended is really good.”

“He’s also my dad’s lawyer.” Robby replied. “He’s not gonna give a shit about me. He’ll throw me under the bus in a heartbeat. That’s what he’s telling my dad to do.”

“And Johnny won’t do it.” Sam replied. “It doesn’t matter what the lawyer thinks - he still has to listen to the client.”

That didn’t seem to convince Robby.

It’d been a month and a half since the incident… a “tragedy”, most people called it, but Sam was never going to do that. 

Runt… the kid from the bad home situation… had stolen the gun Robby had hidden in the dojo and used it to defend himself the next time his dad had gone after him. The guy hadn’t died, thankfully - and once the home situation had become known, the cops hadn’t even bothered to arrest the kid. And the incident had been enough to make the kid’s mother snap awake and finally ditch that guy for good. 

The kid was safe… that’s all Robby had cared about when it’d happened. No matter how bad it could’ve been, no matter what terrible mistakes had been made, in the end, things had miraculously turned out okay. That’s what Robby had thought and for once, Sam had found herself agreeing. 

That was before the media shitstorm. People may have short memories, but someone had dug up the old new stories from Cobra Kai days and violence and karate had once again become the hot topic of conversation in the Valley. 

And then Runt’s mother, no doubt egged on by some sleazy ambulance chaser, had decided to sue Cobra-Do for her family’s pain and suffering. 

“What’s the worst case scenario here?” Robby asked. “Can you tell me that atleast?”

“Robby… you just hid a gun in the dojo. A gun you legally own.” Sam told him. “They can’t blame you if some kid steals it.”

“I did a lot more than that.” Robby confessed quietly. “I showed it to him.”

Sam sat up in the bed, pulling the sheets over her chest and listening intently. 

“It’s not what you think.” Robby explained. “The kid walked in on me when I was cleaning it. I do that every couple of days for maintenance - but I do it when I’m alone. He wasn’t even supposed to be there...”

Robby sighed, shaking his head. 

“Runt was... fascinated.” He went on. “Couldn’t take his eyes off it. So I showed him a few things.”

“Robby...”

“It’s what I learned in the army. Things about gun safety and stuff.” Robby said. “I told him that he should never point it at anyone he doesn’t intend to shoot. To never leave the safety off when he wasn’t using it. To take care of it properly. I do this thing where I assemble the gun as fast as I can and time myself… this time, I asked him to do that... to time me. I thought it was just harmless fun… and maybe he’d learn something...”

“Robby, this could be bad.” Sam told him. “They could paint you as an unstable war vet inciting kids to violence. They could charge you with child endangerment. But… as long as nobody knows about this...”

“They will find out tomorrow.” Robby told her. “I’m being deposed and… if they ask me about this, I can’t lie under oath, can I?”

Sam pursed her lips and shook her head. Never lie about anything the opposition can find out on their own - that was a basic tenet of practicing law. 

“Guess that’s it then.” Robby said, laying his head back down. “Once all this becomes part of the public record, the cops will have the excuse to pin the whole thing on me, right?”

“If they do that, we’ll fight it.” Sam said firmly. “This wasn’t your fault. You didn’t tell the kid to steal your gun. Or to shoot his dad. And he likes you, okay? If he get him to testify on your - ”

“No!” Robby said immediately. “We are not dragging Runt into this.”

“Robby...”

“Sam, he’s finally safe.” Robby told her. “He’s finally free of that messy situation. We are not gonna drag him into another one of our making. He has been through enough already.”

_ And you haven’t? _

“Well, you should be relieved, atleast.” Robby told her. “One way or another, this thing between us can finally end.”

_ This thing? Their… trysts? _

“What do you mean?”

“I mean no more needy, pathetic Robby begging you for comfort.” Robby said. “I kinda put you in a tough situation right? Either you feel guilty for rejecting and hurting me or you feel guilty for cheating on Miguel… but with me gone, Miguel never has to find out and you won’t have to feel so guilty anymore.”

Sam shook her head. “I’m not doing this out of guilt.” She told him. “You are not the only one who needs comfort okay? I needed this too.”

She got a grateful half-smile for that. 

“And we are not giving up on you so easily either.” Sam said. “You are not going to prison.”

“No...” Robby agreed. “I don’t plan to.”

She knew right away that those words were ominous. 

“I’m not gonna risk going to jail again. Not after...” Robby shook his head. “I’d rather just disappear. I’ve gotten pretty good at it.”

“Disappear?” Sam asked, a chill running up and down her spine. “Run away, you mean? Again?”

“Better that way for everyone.” Robby said, shrugging. 

“How can you say that?” She asked, angrily. “Do you have any idea what we… you  _ can’t  _ leave us again! We just got you back.”

“C’mon, Sam - we all knew this was going to be temporary.” Robby laughed sadly. “I was always going to mess this up sooner or later.”

“You can’t leave.” Sam shouted. “You owe us - ”

The cold look on his face made her stop short. “I don’t owe you a goddamn thing.”

Sam closed her eyes and nodded. Trying to guilt Robby into staying wasn’t going to work.

“Well, it’s not messed up yet.” She told him. “Can you atleast let it get to that before bolting? Promise me you won’t do anything rash - can you do that, please?”

Robby didn’t answer her. 

“I should get going.” He said, getting up and pulling up his shorts. 

“You don’t have to - ”

“Miguel will be back soon.” He reminded her. “And you need time to… “sanitize” this place, right? Can’t have him thinking something’s up.”

Sam nodded regretfully. Miguel already knew that something was wrong, but Sam had managed to deflect any prying questions and luckily, he was still too busy with the new case to try and find out. 

“I’ll let you get to it.” Robby said, pulling his shirt over his head.

“It’ll be okay.” Sam tried, one last time. “You have us all on your side this time.”

Robby shook his head sadly. 

“When it comes to me vs his students,” He told her. “I know what side my dad’s always gonna choose.”

* * *

“Sensei… are you sure about this?” Miguel asked, his pen hovering over the papers. 

Johnny nodded resolutely. 

“Mr. Lawrence. Please. Be reasonable.” His lawyer, Murray, pleaded. “Let’s not jump the gun - ”

Johnny glared at him for his poor choice of words and the guy retreated immediately. 

“I mean, let’s not be rash here.” He begged. “We don’t know how this is gonna play out yet.”

“No - this is fine.” Johnny said firmly. “I want to - ”

He was interrupted by the sound of the door opening and saw Robby come in with subconscious relief. Since the moment this whole shit had started, Johnny had feared he’d wake up one day to find him gone, again - but after tonight…

“What’s going on?” Robby asked, looking suspiciously between the three of them. “Is this about my deposition tomorrow?”

“There isn’t gonna be a deposition.” Johnny informed him. “We are settling this tonight.”

“Mr. Lawrence, I still strongly advise - ” Murray started again. 

“Dude - shut the hell up and draw the papers.” Johnny snapped at him, irritated. 

Robby was still looking at the three of them in turn, trying to catch up. 

“You’re settling?” He asked. “I don’t understand...”

“You don’t want to testify, right?” Johnny told him. “Well, now you don’t have to.”

He’d sensed it before. Something about the idea of taking the stand had made Robby nervous. Skittish. Like he was getting ready to bolt. And how their lawyer had reacted to his mock depositions had only confirmed Johnny’s fears - though that guy was more interested in keeping the price tag down than anything else. And once he’d started talking about “legal defenses” and “criminal liability” and “PTSD”...

There was something here that Robby was worried about. Some reason that he didn’t want to testify under oath. Somehow, Johnny knew that that would’ve been bad. Bad enough to make him run. 

And he wasn’t going to let that happen again.

“Did they make a new offer?” Robby asked, still confused. 

Johnny nodded. “300K.”

“That’s still too much.” Robby argued. “You don’t have that kind of money.”

“I was told that you were left an inheritance that might - ” Murray started suggesting softly. 

“No” Johnny shook his head. “That money is going to a better cause. I’ll settle my own debts.”

“With what money?” Robby asked. 

“Insurance will cover a part of it. 100K.” Johnny said. “And if I put together everything else that I have… everything I saved up over the years… and...” He looked at Miguel a little guiltily. 

“What?” Robby asked.

“It’s joint property.” Miguel explained. “Sensei and mom are married - so it’s all of her savings too.”

Robby’s mouth opened and closed in surprise. 

“She’d never agree to that.” He told them firmly. 

“She already has.” Johnny replied. “That’s why Miguel’s here. He has her power of attorney in the States, so he can sign on her behalf.”

“And that’s not even the worst of it.” Miguel added. 

“There’s more?” Robby looked at Johnny incredulously. 

Johnny sighed. He hadn’t wanted to bring it up right away, but…

“They wanted 400.” He explained. “But they agreed to knock 100K off if I shut down the dojo. And… agree never to teach karate again.”

“They  _ can’t _ do that!” Robby cried indignantly. 

“Unfortunately, they can.” Murray corrected. “They can put in a clause in the settlement and Mr. Lawrence can be sued for even more if he breaks the terms.”

“Then you can’t do this!” Robby said. “Dad, teaching karate is your whole life!”

“Let’s just give them the extra 100K.” Miguel suggested. “I can scrounge up something. Or maybe Mr. LaRusso...”

Johnny shook his head firmly. “LaRusso is already doing more than enough by paying for the lawyer. And you...” He turned to Miguel. “You need to save up every penny you have for your mom in case she needs it.”

“Then fight it!” Robby argued. “When did you become a pussy? Since when do you run from a fight?”

“Fighting isn’t always worth the price.” Johnny chuckled dryly.

“Mr. Lawrence...” Murray started again.

“Draw up the papers.” Johnny cut him off. “Let’s finish this tonight.”

There was nothing left to be said. Johnny’s mind was made up and there was no changing it. Because this time, for sure, he knew he was making the right choice. With similar defeated looks, Miguel and Murray finished signing the papers and took their leave. 

“I didn’t ask you to do this.” Robby told him in an oddly defiant voice the moment they were gone. “And I don’t need you to do this. Whatever happens, I can handle myself.”

“I know.” Johnny agreed. “I wanted to do this.”

“You wanted to lose what little you had saved up?” Robby asked, disbelieving. “You wanted to give up teaching karate? You wanted to lose everything?”

“I didn’t lose everything.” Johnny corrected him. “I saved what was most important. Robby, the truth is, this is a choice I should’ve made ages ago. I should’ve chosen you over the dojo all those years ago and I lost you because I couldn’t do that. I’m not gonna make that mistake ever again.”

Robby kept staring at him, breathing hard.

“So you did it for yourself, right? To make yourself feel better?” He said defiantly. “So I’m not gonna thank you for any of this.”

What exactly was bothering him so much? Why was Robby acting like this?

“Robby...” And then he understood. “Dude, I don’t blame you for any of this.”

“You will!” Robby replied. “I just cost you everything you have and one day, you are gonna hate me for that. But when that day comes, just remember that  _ you  _ chose to do this even though I didn’t ask you to. This was  _ your  _ choice.”

Angrily, he stormed off into his room.


	10. Wreckage

_ Miguel found Sensei sitting on the platform in the dojo’s backyard, enjoying a well-deserved beer after a pretty tough class. While his own competing days were about to be over - he’d be too old for the next tournament and he was about to be busy with college applications anyway - he still enjoyed helping Johnny with the classes and spotting some new talent.  _

_ “So… Mr. LaRusso really quit, huh?” Miguel asked, sitting down beside him and opening a beer of his own.  _

_ “Says he needs to focus on the dealership.” Johnny replied, leaning back. “Besides, he only got into this to stop Cobra Kai and with Cobra Kai now gone...” _

_ Miguel nodded, taking a sip.  _

_ “Good class today.” Johnny commented. “I think the new kids are really shaping up. Not as tough as you guys though.” _

_ “They don’t have to face the same challenges.” Miguel replied. “Thankfully.” _

_ Johnny smiled at that, nodding slowly and taking another swig. And Miguel steeled himself for the conversation he was there to have.  _

_ “Any news?” He asked.  _

_ He didn’t have to specify about what. There was only one thing anyone seemed to care about these days. _

_ “No.” Johnny shook his head. “It’s like he disappeared off the face of the earth. They don’t even know whether he is still in the city or not.” _

_ He had to tread carefully here. He couldn’t pretend to like or be too worried about Robby - Johnny would see right through that. But he did care about how this was affecting him.  _

_ “Let him have his hissy fit.” Miguel suggested diplomatically. “One taste of real life and he’ll come running back home.” _

_ Johnny chuckled dejectedly. “He’s too tough for that. He’s been facing real life like a pro for years. He’s not gonna come back because he’s too pussy to handle it.” _

_ “Why do you even want him back?” Miguel asked, a little nervously. “I mean… after the way he treated you...” _

_ “That’s… nothing compared to the way I treated him.” Johnny replied. “And I want him back because he’s my son and he’s all alone and miserable out there.” _

_ “You just said he can survive on his own.” Miguel reminded him.  _

_ “Yeah, but he shouldn’t have to.” Johnny replied. “He deserves better.” _

_ Does he? Miguel wondered. Robby had betrayed everyone in his life by siding with Kreese - so why did everyone keep talking like they’d been the ones to betray him? _

_ Why were they still torturing themselves over him? _

_ “Do you…?” Miguel started, hesitating. “Do you blame me for it? For breaking his arm?” _

_ Johnny considered the question thoughtfully and then shook his head.  _

_ “I wish you hadn’t done that.” He said. “But I understand why you did it. The truth is, no one is more to blame than me. I was never there for him and by the time I tried to be… it was too late.” _

_ “But… if I hadn’t been around...”  _

_ “Then I wouldn’t have gotten around to it either.” Johnny finished. “Miguel, without you, I wouldn’t have gotten my head out of my ass in the first place. And… maybe that’s the problem.” _

_ “What do you mean?” _

_ “Robby asked me once that… why wasn’t he good enough for that?” Johnny told him. “Why I couldn’t change my life for him? Why I couldn’t get my act together whenever he needed me to? Why did I have to wait for you to come around… and… I didn’t have an answer to that. I still don’t.” _

_ Miguel sat there in silence, trying to think of something to say to make Sensei feel better.  _

_ “I wish you two could’ve become friends.” Johnny told him. “Maybe if the two of you could’ve understood each-other...” _

_ Miguel didn’t comment on that. Given everything that had happened between them, he couldn’t even imagine being friends with the guy. But on the other hand, maybe if they had become friends, perhaps all that could’ve been avoided.  _

_ “Why did you want to talk about Robby anyway?” Johnny asked. “You want me to give up on looking for him?” _

_ He did. But he also knew that was never going to happen.  _

_ “No...” He said instead. “But I don’t want it to mess up what’s good in your life.” _

_ Johnny frowned, waiting for Miguel to go on.  _

_ “You just disappeared on us last week.” Miguel explained. “You just woke up in the middle of the night and didn’t come back for 3 whole days. We couldn’t reach you… mom was going crazy with worry.” _

_ “They had a lead on Robby.” Johnny explained. “It didn’t pan out, but...” _

_ “I get it. I get why you had to go.” Miguel said. “But you can’t do it like this again. We are here for you, Sensei, but you need to be here for us too.” _

_ Johnny nodded, guiltily. “I’m sorry.” He said. “I won’t do that again.” _

_ Miguel nodded, satisfied with the conversation. This was the right way to do it - keep reminding Sensei to focus on all the good he had in life and soon enough, Robby Keene would fade away into a distant memory.  _

* * *

Miguel glowered at the text uncertainly for a whole minute. 

“ _ Need to talk. _ ” 

What the hell did Robby Keene want with him now? 

“ _ Busy. Later. _ ” He replied. 

That was true enough. Judge Myers had proven himself to be a really difficult patient. Arrogant, entitled and thought he always knew the best even about things he had no clue about. He’d resisted the need for surgery until the tumor had grown almost inoperable, but he’d thankfully come to his senses. And equally thankfully, the surgery had gone well. 

Even so, Miguel’s plan to have him on his side for Yaya’s return looked bleaker than ever. The Judge was not the kind of guy who ever felt indebted to anybody - because he always acted like the world owed him. 

Moments later, his phone pinged again.

“ _ At the hospital. Need to talk. Now _ ” Came Robby’s reply. 

Miguel sighed. It clearly wasn’t an emergency or he’d have just called. And Miguel was pretty tired already. After a 24 hour shift, he felt like he was running on fumes. 

But if it was this important…

“ _ Where? _ ” Miguel texted back.

“ _ Smoking area near back entrance. _ ” Came the reply.

“ _ On my way! _ ”

Miguel headed down, feeling a little anxious. The area was under construction - a new wing of the hospital was being built there. Why would Robby ask him to meet him there? Was the guy deliberately acting shady or was this more of his messed up mind from the war? Either way, Miguel should be under no obligation to humor him. He didn’t owe him anything after all. 

But people Miguel cared about cared about Robby, so…

He found Robby in the smoking area as promised. As Miguel stepped over the tape, he noticed that the guy seemed a little nervous. He was pacing to and fro and taking deep lungfuls of the cancer-stick. 

“Hey!” Robby said, seeing him approach.

Miguel skipped the formalities. “You wanted to talk?”

“Yeah… uh...” Robby said, flicking away the cigarette “We need to talk.”

Miguel folded his arms and waited. And waited…

“Well?” He snapped, when Robby didn’t speak up.

“Sorry, uh… it’s hard to know where to start.” Robby told him. 

“Sure.” Miguel shrugged sarcastically. “I got all the time in the world.”

Apparently, Robby took his words at face value, because after nodding gratefully, he started to murmur to himself, trying to figure out what to say. Frustrated, Miguel pointedly looked at his phone to hurry him along. 

“I need you… to do something.” Robby started haltingly. “I know it’s gonna sound like it’s for me but… well… I think it’d be best for everyone. Even you. I know it’s not gonna feel like it - ”

His phone buzzing in his pocket gave Miguel the excuse he needed to cut the ramble short.

“Dude - it’ll have to wait.” Miguel said, quickly glancing at his phone. It was from the hospital. “I’m getting paged and I need to get back to my patient. Once you figure out what you want to tell me - some time next year - then you can call me again.”

He turned to leave. 

“You need to let Sam go.” Robby spoke up from behind him. 

Miguel stopped. And then turned around slowly. 

“What did you just say?”

“You need to let Sam go.” Robby repeated, calmer now. “It’s over between the two of you. She doesn’t love you anymore - she loves me.”

_ The fucking balls on this guy! _

“You are delusional!” Miguel scoffed. 

“C’mon, Diaz!” Robby said. “You must have seen the signs. The lack of interest. The anger. The guilt.”

_ “Nothing’s wrong! I’m just not in the mood, okay?” _

_ “Oh My God! You are paranoid. NOTHING is going on between me and him.” _

_ “Sorry… I haven’t exactly been the best girlfriend lately, have I?” _

“You’re lying!” Miguel said through gritted teeth. 

“Think you know I’m not.” Robby replied calmly. 

“You are telling me you are sleeping with my girlfriend?” He had to be sure.

“Yeah.” Robby replied. “You shouldn’t have left her alone so much. She got lonely.”

"How long?" Miguel snarled. "How long has this been going on?"

"Long enough for me to know it's real." Robby replied, contritely. "We didn't... want to do it this way. We kept saying that we needed to stop but... when you can't stop even when you know it's wrong... that has to be real love."

His fists were already clenched, Miguel realized and with herculean effort, he resisted the urge to swing them. 

“ _ Fuck you! _ ” Miguel hissed. “She doesn’t love you… she never did. Even if you are telling the truth… she is fucking you out of pity. Because she feels bad for you.”

“If that’s what you need to tell yourself….” Robby said, nodding slowly. 

“Sam’s not gonna break up with me.” Miguel declared. She couldn’t. He wouldn’t let her. He wasn’t going to lose her again.

“I know.” Robby said, inclining his head and sighing. “But is that what you really want? For her to stay with you out of guilt? Would that make either of you happy?”

_ What the hell was this guy thinking? _

“You think I’m gonna give up on her without a fight?” Miguel asked. 

“Dude… when has fighting ever worked out well?” Robby replied. “You know how it’s gonna go if you tell her you know about us. She’ll apologize, you’ll “forgive” her and you’ll stay together… for a little bit longer. But you’ll resent her and punish her for it and she’ll feel guilty and resent you for that. You two will make each-other miserable… and then you’ll break up and we’ll end up in the same place anyway. Can’t we just cut to the chase?”

“You don’t know what the hell you are talking about!” Miguel told him. 

“Yeah, I do - and so do you.” Robby replied. “You’ve known from the start that this was where we were headed. That’s why you never liked the fact that I came back. Or how much time she was spending with me.”

_ Bullshit.  _ He’d had so many reasons not to want Robby back - so many of them… including this one. 

“Look - you might end up losing everyone you care about here.” Robby continued calmly. “But I’m offering you a way out so you can atleast salvage something.”

“What the hell are you talking about.”

Robby sighed. “Take Mr. LaRusso, for example - if you and Sam end up hating each-other, whose side is he gonna take? Do you really think he’ll take your side over his daughter’s?”

Miguel blinked. Daniel was a great guy, sure, but…

“And my dad… well...” Robby went on. “If you’d asked him a decade ago which one of us he’d choose, the answer would’ve been clear. But now? After all the work he put into rebuilding our relationship...”

That made Miguel feel cold all over. Sensei  _ would  _ choose Robby - no question about it. For years he’d regretted putting his son second, so he’d never make that “mistake” ever again. 

“But if you do what I ask you, I think you can maintain good relationships with everyone.” Robby finished. 

“Yeah? What’s that?”

“Visit your mom.” Robby told him. 

Miguel frowned, not quite understanding. 

“Go to Ecuador, I mean.” Robby explained. “You really miss your mom, right? And your grandma? No one will think twice about you going there for a lengthy visit. And once you are there, you can pull away from Sam… find a new job… maybe even meet someone new. Then, when you come back for a visit with your new wife and kids every couple of years, everyone will be so happy to see you. Y’know? Instead of hating your guts.”

_ That  _ was his plan? Miguel had never heard anything so ridiculous in his whole life. 

“You think you are just gonna run me out of town like that?” He said, still incredulous. “You think I’ll let you do that?”

“I’m trying to help you, dumbass.” Robby replied, exasperated. “This will be good for everyone. Including your mom. She needs you there to protect her.”

“You are insane.” Miguel scoffed, shaking his head. 

_ Punch him. Beat the shit out of him. Bash his skull in.  _

_ No - not a smart move.  _

“I’m not listening to any of this anymore.” He replied, angrily turning away. 

_ Good move. Smart. Walk away from him. Show him he has no power over you anymore.  _

“Eduardo Hernandez!” Robby said. 

The name sent a chill through his spine, making Miguel stop again. 

“You know that guy, right?” Robby asked, rhetorically. 

“Yeah.” Miguel replied, quietly. “How do you know that name?”

“He called our home a few days back.” Robby explained. “Wanted to know if Carmen Diaz still lived there. I told him that she moved back to Ecuador.”

_ No. No. No. No. No… this isn’t happening.  _

“He asked me if I had her address.” Robby went on. “But something about the guy seemed shady - so I told him I’ll get back to him on that. Who is that guy?”

Miguel’s father. The son of a bitch Carmen had left her country to get away from. If he were to find out where she was… but there was no reason to tell Robby all that. 

“Nobody.” Miguel replied. “He’s nobody.”

“So… not a threat to Carmen then?” Robby asked, smiling knowingly. “You have no problem with me giving him her address?”

Miguel took a calming breath, trying to stay in control. 

“You’d actually do that?” He asked. “You’d actually put my mom in danger just to get what you want?”

“Miguel, the real question is...” Robby corrected. “Would you actually put your mother in danger just to make sure I don’t get what I want?”

_ Alright. Fuck it.  _

Miguel swung his fist. 

His fist landed with a crunch and Miguel regretted it immediately. 

This wasn’t going to be solved by fighting. As much as he wanted to kick the guy’s ass, that never fixed anything. Not that he was likely to win anyway. It’d been years since he’d seriously practiced whereas Robby... he should swallow his pride and apologize for hitting him before it got out of hand. 

But then he saw Robby wipe the blood from his mouth and grin… and he knew that wasn’t going to happen. Robby had come there for a fight. He’d picked a place where they wouldn’t be disturbed. He wanted this… and so did Miguel. And that gave him clarity of purpose. 

“It always comes down to this, doesn’t it?” Robby said, squaring off. 

“Looks like it.” Miguel replied, taking his stance. 

Robby rushed in for a tackle and Miguel met him with an elbow drop to the back, but the guy slid sideways, making him miss completely. Miguel found himself getting swung up and back and then the ground rushed up to slam his shoulder.

Two knee strikes to his side and Miguel desperately swung out - meeting nothing but air again as Robby dodged backwards. Miguel kicked out, and found Robby doing the same. Pushing back after the exchange of blows, they both scrambled to get up and find their footing before the other guy. 

_ I’m seriously rusty,  _ Miguel thought as Robby made it up first. He was barely able to block the next kick and it still made him stumble back. 

But he wasn’t out of the game yet. Robby might’ve had the advantage of strength, speed and technique on his side, but Miguel had the motivation and the anger and that allowed him to hold his own. They kept fighting, heedless, Miguel giving almost as good as he got, until the both of them were bleeding from a dozen wounds. 

_ Need to finish this fast,  _ Miguel thought.  _ He has more stamina, so… shit! _

Robby was rushing him again. Migue blocked, anticipating the blow, but Robby feinted to the side, slipping behind him. Too late, Miguel realized how he’d left himself vulnerable when he felt an arm wrap around his neck and lock in the choke. 

He flung himself backwards, taking them both to the ground, hoping that the impact would be enough to make Robby let go. It wasn’t. Robby squeezed tighter and Miguel found his vision getting blurry. 

Desperate, his fingers scrambled the ground, searching for something. They found a thin, cold piece of metal and Miguel gripped it tight and swung the rebar around, catching Robby on the side of the head. 

That worked. The arm around his neck loosened and Miguel broke free. He rolled away and got to his feet, taking a defensive stance again as his opponent did the same. Robby grinned at him, feeling up the side of his head and coming back with bloodied fingers. With a feral smile, he advanced on him again. 

Then he stopped, swaying on his feet a little. 

Then he fell down, face-forward, to the ground and lay there, unmoving. 

* * *

Miguel stood in place with his guard up. He wasn’t going to make that mistake again. He waited for Robby to realize that his ruse wasn’t working and to get up and start the fight again, but that wasn’t happening. 

_ Why would he need a trick? He was winning. _

“Robby?” Miguel called out, gingerly pushing him with his toe. 

Robby still didn’t move.

_ I won. I beat that asshole. I knocked him the fuck out… _

A flash of joy coursed through him and he took a moment to enjoy it before reality kicked in. 

_ What did I win exactly?  _

Bitter at having to do this, Miguel knelt beside him and turned him over. 

“You okay, dude?”

No response…. And his chest wasn’t moving. Concerned, Miguel put a finger under his nose and found no air coming out. Almost trembling in fear now, he put two fingers on the side of his neck. No pulse.

_ No, no, no, no, no, no - I did NOT kill him. I could NOT have killed him. I didn’t hit him that hard. He was standing up. He was ready for another round.  _

“Hey! Wake up!” Miguel panicked, slapping his cheek. “C’mon, wake up. Don’t be a pussy!”

The guy refused to obey.

_ Get it together, Diaz. You are a goddamn doctor. You know what to do.  _

His training kicked in. Pinching Robby’s nose, he breathed into his mouth. And then he started on the compressions.  _ One… two... three… four… five… repeat. _

Again.

And again.

“C’mon!” Miguel shouted. “Breathe, dammit!”

It wasn’t enough. He needed tools. He needed… drugs to kick start the heart. And shock paddles. Desperately, he looked around for help before realizing he still had his phone in his pocket. 

“Dr. Diaz?” A voice called out. “What the hell is going on?”

_ Thank God! _

It was an orderly from the hospital. 

“Help me with him.” Miguel ordered. “Get me a crash cart right now.”

“They sent me to find you.” The orderly stood rooted at his spot. “You weren’t answering your pages… what the hell happened to you? Who is that guy?”

“Hey! Snap out of it and do your job!” Miguel yelled. 

That seemed to shake him awake. 

“Doctor, you are needed upstairs.” He said, rushing to his side. “Your patient is coding.”

_ Now? It had to be now? _

“They’ve been trying to reach you…” He added. “You need to go. You are the surgeon on call.”

Miguel looked down at Robby’s unmoving form. 

_ I can’t… I can’t leave him like this.  _

“I’ll take care of this.” The orderly said taking over the CPR. “Go! You are needed there.”

He was needed there. He was needed inside. He could actually help someone…

Nodding shakenly, Miguel got up and ran inside. 

_ Too late,  _ Miguel thought as he stood numb at the door. 

“I’m calling it.” Dr. Russell said solemnly. “Time of death, 10:43 PM.”

With a tired breath, the older man pulled off his gloves and turned around… and saw Miguel there.

“Diaz - where the hell have you been?” He asked, angrily. “And what the hell happened to your face?”

_ Shit. Shit. Shit…. _


	11. Anatomy of Tragedy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looong chapter ahead....

_ Johnny sighed a tired sigh and heaved the wooden planks over his shoulders  _

_ He was getting too old for all this manual labor shit. His students should be the one doing all this. Wasn’t that the Miyagi-Do way too? To make the kids do all the work and call it training? _

_ But LaRusso was right. All that manual labor was good for teaching basics and building endurance, but those kids were beyond that now. What they needed to focus on was strength and precision and this wasn’t going to help with that. And to tire them out a day before the tournament… _

_ “JOHNNY!” LaRusso yelled out from the Miyagi-Do yard with a hint of urgency in his voice.  _

_ Johnny dropped the planks and rushed his way through the tattered remains of the dojo, only to stop short when he got there.  _

_ Robby was standing there, looking at the two of them.  _

_ “Hey.” Johnny said, unsure of how to respond.  _

_ “I’m just here to talk.” Robby kept his voice calm… and almost free of the nervousness.  _

_ Talk? Now? After what happened? _

_ No… this was good. They’d been hoping for this chance for a while now. And Robby had brought his backpack with him, so maybe he was considering… _

_ But he was getting ahead of himself. Still, if they did this right, if they didn’t screw it up, it could mean… _

_ “Okay.” It was Daniel who answered. “What can we do for you, Robby?” _

_ Robby took a deep breath.  _

_ “I want to end this stupid war.” He said. “Enough people have gotten hurt already.” _

_ The words were music to his ears.  _

_ “We want that too.” Johnny replied. “That’s what we’ve been trying to do.” _

_ Robby bit his lip uncertainly as if he was about to say something, but thought better of it. Instead, he unslung his backpack and unzipped it.  _

_ “I got something for you.” He said, reaching inside. “Call it a peace offering.” _

_ He held out a polished wooden box that Johnny recognized immediately. It was Daniel’s Miyagi-Do box… the one that was supposed to have burned down in the fire.  _

_ “It has some other stuff too.” Robby told Daniel. “Mr. Miyagi’s medal of honor. Some old photos...” _

_ “And the scrolls?” Daniel asked, opening to check. _

_ Robby nodded. “We got what we wanted from those.” He explained. “Gotta say though… I thought Mr. Miyagi was supposed to be all peace and love kinda guy. But there is some real nasty stuff in there.” _

_ “You stole the Miyagi-Do techniques?” Daniel asked, feeling hurt and betrayed.  _

_ "You always said Miyagi-Do was for everyone." Robby replied defensively.  _

_ “How did you even read them?” _

_ “There is an app for translating stuff now.” Robby shrugged. “And Sensei Kreese… he said Miyagi-Do always has something up its sleeve and he didn’t want any surprises.” _

_ “The fire...” _

_ “Sensei wanted to cover his tracks.” Robby replied. “He didn’t want you to know that he knew.” _

_ “Burned down by incense, my ass.” Daniel said, with a clenched jaw. “That asshole burned down Mr. Miyagi’s house.” _

_ “No...” Robby shook his head. “He told me to do it.” _

_ This was not good. Daniel was about to lose his temper. And if he said something in anger… if he said the wrong thing… _

_ “I get it.” Johnny spoke up quickly. “It’s hard to say no when your Sensei orders you to do something.” _

_ He shot Daniel a warning glance and turned back to his son.  _

_ “And you didn’t have to return all this stuff.” He went on. “You didn’t have to save the other stuff either… the medal and the photos… So thanks for this.” _

_ That seemed to calm Daniel down. Robby had obviously gone too far… Kreese had pushed him too far. But he also clearly regretted it. And if he was having second thoughts about Kreese, this was their chance to capitalize on it.  _

_ “Does Kreese know you are here?” Daniel asked.  _

_ Robby shook his head. “I came on my own. Figured we could… negotiate an end to this war.” _

_ Even better. If Robby was willing to undercut Kreese like that… _

_ “This isn’t your war, Robby.” Daniel told him. “You don’t have to be Kreese’s soldier in this. You can choose not to fight.” _

_ Robby shook his head. “I’m already registered for Cobra Kai and I’m not a quitter.” _

_ “Then help us win this.” Daniel suggested. “If you throw your match tomorrow...” _

_ That… was a brilliant idea. This wasn’t just beating Kreese - they had that well in hand. But they also needed Robby to come back to them - and for him to be accepted back. The students of their dojo almost all hated him, but if Robby could be instrumental in Kreese’s downfall…. _

_ But Robby didn’t seem to think much of that idea.  _

_ “You want me to lose on purpose?” He asked, looking hurt. _

_ “This could be a way to make up for your mistakes.” Johny chimed in. “Miguel needs the win tomorrow. After everything he has been through… if you help him tomorrow, it’ll make up for everything.” _

_ “Who said I wanted to?” Robby said, with his jaw twitching in anger. Then he took a calming breath. “Look - I’m fighting tomorrow and I’m fighting to win. But that doesn’t mean I want people getting hurt.” _

_ He wasn’t there yet… not completely… but he didn’t want to hurt anyone and that was a start.  _

_ “You are talking to the wrong people about that.” Daniel told him. “Kreese is the one out to hurt people.” _

_ “He’s just trying to run his business.” Robby replied. “If you guys didn’t keep messing with him - ” _

_ “Us? Messing with him?” Johnny said, incredulously.  _

_ “Did you forget how the two of you barged into his dojo and attacked him? Beat him up?”  _

_ “You mean after he sent his students to attack my house?” Daniel asked, indignantly.  _

_ “Kreese had nothing to do with that.” Robby said, hotly.  _

_ “Robby...”  _

_ “It’s true.” Robby said firmly. “I was there the whole time. Sensei Kreese told us about Diaz and Sam teaming up and Tory just lost her shit and stormed off. He asked the others to make sure that she was okay… and then he stayed back to train with me. He didn’t even talk to her after that. He didn’t even know what she was going to do - and neither did I. It was all Tory’s idea - and Hawk’s.” _

_ “A lot more than that happened, alright?” Johnny told him. _

_ “And why the hell do you blame Sensei Kreese for it?” Robby asked. “It was Hawk who did all that.Hawk pulled a lot of shit without Sensei knowing, okay? Breaking Demetri’s arm, beating Nate up - that was all him.” _

_ “You really expect us to believe that?” Johnny said, incredulously.  _

_ “Why not?” Robby replied. “He was doing the same kind of shit when he was in your Cobra Kai. Going after Demetri at the mall, vandalizing Miyagi-Do… Tory too. You were her Sensei when she started that school fight. If either of them has been telling you that Kreese put them up to it, then they are lying.” _

_ They hadn’t actually told them that… but that didn’t mean anything.  _

_ “You know he put a snake in my dealership, right?” Daniel said.  _

_ “Yeah… after you sent a couple of goons to beat him up and kick him out of his dojo.” Robby replied.  _

_ “And burning down Mr. Miyagi’s house?” Daniel asked. “How do you justify that?” _

_ That made Robby look away a little guiltily.  _

_ “He’s in full battle mode.” He said, quietly. “You guys have pushed him too far. At this point, there is nothing he won’t do to win.” _

_ “Robby, he has brainwashed you.” Johnny told him. “You can’t believe anything that guy says.” _

_ “That’s what he does, kid.” Daniel added. “I told you - there are no bad students, only bad teachers. Everything his students did is on him.” _

_ “So what I did to Diaz - that was on you?” Robby asked. “Then why didn’t you go to jail instead of me? Why did I have to go through that while you got away scot free?” _

_ Johnny wasn’t sure whether it was the words or the venom behind them that left LaRusso speechless.  _

_ “But I didn’t come here to defend Kreese to you guys.” Robby continued. “I know he’s a… troubled man. And I don’t care. He was there for me when I needed him and that’s all matters.” _

_ I’d have been there for you too… if only… if only you’d given me another chance.  _

_ “So what did you come here for?” Daniel asked, losing hope. “How exactly do you want to end this?” _

_ Robby took a deep breath, steeling himself.  _

_ “I want you guys to leave Cobra Kai alone.” He said. “Call off the deal. Tell Kreese that no matter what happens tomorrow, you won’t ask him to shut down Cobra Kai… and that you’ll shut down your dojo...” _

_ Both Daniel and Johnny blinked and stared at each-other in unison.  _

_ “You want us to… surrender?” Daniel asked, incredulous. _

_ Robby wet his lips nervously. “Yes. Kreese just wants to win for once. If he thinks he has… and that you guys aren’t a threat to him anymore, then he’ll leave you alone.” _

_ Johnny scoffed with disbelief. “That’s never gonna work. Kreese will never go for it. He’ll keep sending his students after the kids - ” _

_ “He won’t.” Robby said, firmly. “I’ll convince him not to. I’ll tell him that winning without bloodshed is better. And as for the rest, I’ll keep them in line. We won’t bother you if you don’t bother us.” _

_ “Us?” Daniel noted sadly. “Robby, you are not one of them. Why are you trying so hard to save Cobra Kai?” _

_ “Because it’s the only thing I have left.” His voice almost broke. “I’ve lost everything else. I’ve lost everyone. I have nothing left except for this and I don’t want to risk losing it too. Can’t you let me have that atleast?” _

_ “You haven’t lost everything.” Johnny told him. “You haven’t lost us.” _

_ “How the hell am I supposed to believe that?” Robby asked. “Why would I ever trust you again?” He turned to Daniel. “Or you? You two have never cared about what I actually wanted. You never listened to me.” _

_ “I’m listening now.” Johnny said.  _

_ “Then fucking listen.” Robby replied. “End this fight with Kreese - even if it means losing. And leave Cobra Kai alone… leave me alone… That’s what I need right now.” _

_ “No, Robby, what you need is to get as far away from Kreese as possible.” Daniel said. “And tomorrow, that’s what we are gonna give you.” _

_ “Don’t pretend you are doing this for me.” Robby shook his head in disgust. “You declared your war on Kreese long before you knew I was with him.” _

_ “Doesn’t change the fact that we can’t leave you with him.” Johnny replied.  _

_ Robby closed his eyes and sighed. “So you won’t even let me have this? You just have to take the last thing I have left?” _

_ He opened his eyes and they were full of hatred. “Fine, then. Bring it on.” _

_ He slung the backpack back over his shoulder and angrily pushed past them, leaving again. Then he stopped and turned around.  _

_ “You know, Kreese talks a lot about protecting his students too. But unlike you guys, he actually does it.” He told them. “You guys think you are so much better than him? But in the end, all you two care about is winning and you don’t care who gets hurt in the process.” _

_ He turned and left. _

_ I didn’t screw up, Johnny told himself. Not this time. This was the right choice… the only choice. There is no negotiating with a psychopath like Kreese. Robby would know that if he wasn’t so brainwashed. _

_ “He’ll come around.” Daniel said quietly.  _

_ “Are you sure?” Johnny asked.  _

_ Daniel gave the question a moment’s thought and nodded.  _

_ “Now more than ever.” He said. “Johnny,  _ **_he_ ** _ came to  _ **_us_ ** _. He wanted to settle things peacefully. He doesn’t understand that that’s never an option with Kreese, but he still wants it to happen. That proves that whatever bullshit Kreese might’ve tried to fill his head with, his heart is still in the right place. Robby is still a good kid inside.” _

_ That was true. Everything LaRusso was saying was true. And yet… _

_ “We let him down again.” Johnny said uncertainly. “He was reaching out to us, asking for something… and we couldn’t give it to him.” _

_ “It’s not what he needs.” Daniel replied. “We’ll give him what he needs tomorrow… and every day after. I know we hurt him today but… this is for his own good.” _

_ He couldn’t argue with that either.  _

_ “Wait till Sam hears about it.” Daniel said, starting to smile. “She has been waiting for him to come around for so long...” _

_ The girl really did care about Robby, didn’t she? _

_ “No.” Johnny said anyway. “LaRusso… uh… let’s not tell the kids about it just yet.” _

_ Daniel looked at him questioningly.  _

_ “It’ll mess with their heads. And they need to focus on winning tomorrow.” Johnny said, worriedly. “Especially since Robby has seen those scrolls. He probably knows stuff we haven’t taught our own students yet.” _

_ Daniel shook his head. “He can’t use any of it. The new rule, remember? That stuff is too extreme.” _

_ Ofcourse, Johnny thought, feeling relieved.  _

_ One more day. Just wait one more day, Robby. Then I’ll bring you home and I’ll spend my life giving you everything you need.  _

* * *

“You can’t even look at me, can you?” Miguel asked. 

No, looking at him was pretty hard right now. Johnny hadn’t even wanted to visit, but Carmen had begged and pleaded to him over the phone until he had finally relented. 

He looked up any way and a second later, Miguel looked away. 

“They added a new charge today.” He said, tonelessly. “Criminal negligence… for the judge’s death.”

“Because you were too late to save him?” Johnny asked, in the same tone. “Or because you prescribed the wrong dose to begin with?”

“I  _ didn’t  _ prescribe him the wrong dose.” Miguel squeezed his eyes shut. “It’s  _ always _ 10 mg of coagulants.  _ Always.  _ Ofcourse 100 mg was gonna give him a stroke. I’d  _ never _ make a mistake like that.”

“They have your charts.” Johnny told him. “They all say the same thing.”

“I know, but it’s wrong.” Miguel insisted. “I’d never make a mistake like that.”

“If you say so...” Johnny said, non-committally. 

Miguel looked up at him, scared and broken-hearted. “Sensei...” His voice was thick. “I’m sorry.”

Johnny wasn’t ready for that yet. 

“For killing my son?” He asked, numbly.

Miguel’s face twisted with regret. “He came there to fight me.”

“There is surveillance footage of the whole thing.” Johnny told him. “You threw the first punch.”

“He goaded me into it.” Miguel explained. “Sensei… you don’t know… the things he was saying...”

“And that justifies what you did?”

“No...” Miguel looked away again. “I didn’t mean to do it. It was an accident.”

The irony was not lost on Johnny and it made him laugh despite the situation.

“You realize that that’s exactly what he said all those years ago, right?” He told Miguel. “Except he was just a kid back then and you are not.”

Miguel took a shaking breath and nodded. 

“What did you tell that orderly?” Johnny asked. 

Miguel looked up at him, confused. “Nothing. I mean… I told him to get help. To try and save Robby...”

“Are you sure?” Johnny asked again. “You sure you didn’t tell him to… get rid of the body?”

That took Miguel back. “Ofcourse not! Why?”

“They found traces of Robby’s DNA in the morgue incinerator today.” Johnny explained. “They think you told that guy to get rid of the body.”

“No... ” Miguel shook his head in shocked disbelief. “I’d never… what did that guy tell the cops?”

“They can’t find him either.” Johnny replied. “The guy ran away and cops have no clue where to look.”

“I don’t have anything to do with that.” Miguel said, almost desperately. “Sensei, you have to believe me. I’d never do anything like that.”

“I thought you’d never do anything like killing Robby.” Johnny replied. “Now… I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

“You don’t think this is weird?” Miguel asked. “I tell that guy to get help and he just moves the body to the morgue and burns it? And at the same time my patient dies because of a mistake that I know I did not make? It feels like I’m being set up.”

It did sound pretty conspiratorial. But Miguel had forgotten one thing. 

“Set up?” Johnny asked. “So you didn’t start a fight with Robby? You didn’t hit him over the head with a piece of rebar?”

Miguel pursed his lips and looked away and they sat in silence for the next few minutes. 

“Is Sam okay?” Miguel asked, quietly. “She hasn’t been here to see me either. And she won’t answer my calls.”

“Yeah… uh...” Johnny hesitated, wondering whether he should really tell him. “She collapsed when she heard about your arrest. And the reason behind it. Had a nervous breakdown. LaRusso had to check her into a rehab or a nuthouse or something like that.”

Miguel’s face looked like he was about to break down crying. 

“I’m sure she’ll come to see you once she gets out.” Johnny said, trying to be comforting. “Just… give her some time.”

Miguel nodded at the table again. 

“I always understood his anger, you know.” Johnny went on. “I understood why he hated you. You had everything he ever wanted. But I never understood why you hated him so much. Why you couldn’t find it in your heart to forgive him?”

“I don’t know, Sensei.” Miguel cried. “Maybe if I had… I wouldn’t have lost everything.” He looked up at him. “I’ve lost Sam. I’m gonna lose my medical license. And you...”

He looked at Johnny, afraid and pleading. 

“Will you… come to see me again?” He asked. 

“You mean will I abandon you?” Johnny asked. “Like I abandoned him?”

Miguel shut his eyes and nodded, waiting for the rejection.

“No. I told you, didn’t I? I’ll always be there for you.” Johnny’s voice broke a little. “No matter what you did.”

* * *

He needed to find a way to help Miguel. That was the only thing Johnny could do at the moment. And the only way to help Miguel…

Miguel  _ could  _ make bail. That’s what his lawyer had said. He was being charged with second-degree murder, but these were exceptional circumstances. And given his clean record… he’d have to be under house-arrest, ofcourse, with an ankle monitor. But atleast he wouldn’t have to rot in there. 

And he’d need six million dollars for the bail. 

Right now, that seemed like an impossible dream. 

LaRusso was not going to be of any help. After what happened, he actually hated Miguel right now. And Johnny was practically broke after the lawsuit… not that he’d had that much to begin with. 

So if he wanted to help Miguel, Johnny would have to…

He’d have to swallow his pride and take the money from what Sid had left him. 

_ Robby’s money. The money you promised to the charity he set up. And you want to use that money to free the guy who killed him? What would he say if he was here? _

But that didn’t matter - because Robby wasn’t there and Miguel was. 

_ Because of Miguel.  _

This was his only option. And this was just temporary. It was just bail… Johnny would get all that money back and replace every penny and use it exactly how Robby wanted it to be used. It was just this once. 

If only he could get the damn door open, he could get started on it. He’d never really cared for Sid’s money to begin with. He’d blindly signed whatever papers the lawyers had put in front of him and he didn’t even know how much of it was actually there. But once he got the damn door open…

It clicked upon. 

Grateful for the small victory, Johnny stepped into his apartment and switched on the light. 

And then froze in place. 

“Hey Dad!” Robby was sitting on the couch with a glass of scotch in his hand.

* * *

_ I’m crazy. I’ve gone crazy. Today was the last straw and it broke my mind… and now I’m starting to see things.  _

“What? No hug?” Robby asked, pouting. “I thought that’s what you were supposed to do when your son comes back from the dead. Or was that just the one time thing?”

_ I have to be crazy, right? There is no way something like this happens twice in a lifetime. _

_ Well, it did with Kreese, but… _

“Robby?” Johnny finally choked out. “You’re… alive?”

“Can’t get anything past you.” Robby smirked. 

What the hell was going on? How was this possible? Did Miguel make a mistake when he thought Robby was dead? He was a doctor… he wasn’t supposed to make mistakes like that…

No… that didn’t matter. Robby was still alive and that… that fixed everything. 

“You’re alive...” Johnny said, sagging with relief. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Around...” Robby shrugged. “Watching. Waiting for today.”

“Today?” Johnny repeated, confused. 

“I wanted to see how long it’d take for you to visit Miguel.” Robby told him. “Two weeks, huh? Much better than the one month it took you to come see me… but then, he was always the one you really cared about.”

What was he…? No - that didn’t matter. 

“You’re alive. That’s all that matters.” Johnny said in a daze. “They can’t charge Miguel with murder if you are still alive. We can get him out and you two can start over - ”

“Let’s savor this moment for a while, shall we?” Robby asked, smirking a little. “It looked like you were in a hurry just now. You have somewhere to be?”

Johnny shook his head. “I need to find the accounts with Sid’s money. I need it for...” But he didn’t anymore, did he? If Robby was still alive and Miguel was going to go free, then there was no reason to worry about the bail money. 

“Oh… that?” Robby said, regretful. “Yeah… that’s all gone.”

“Gone? What does that mean?”

“It means… Sam’s a good lawyer, but the guy I hired to move all of it into offshore accounts is even better.” Robby replied. “There isn’t even a penny left and you are never gonna see any of it again.”

“Gone?” Johnny was still trying to understand. “It was… supposed to go to… war veterans...”

“It did.” Robby replied. “I’m a war veteran.”

“I don’t understand. Robby, if you needed money...”

“I never needed your money, dad. I have plenty of my own.” Robby replied. “I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn’t have it.”

“Huh…?”

“I knew that when someone you really care about needed it, you’d have swallowed your pride and used the money Sid left you to help them.” Robby explained. “I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn’t have the option.”

His mind was reeling, unable to catch up. 

_ He wanted to pick a fight with me… _

_ I didn’t hit him that hard… I swear… I don’t know what… _

_ I didn’t tell that guy to get rid of the body? And why would he listen to me anyway? _

“You… planned this?” The realization finally came and Johnny went numb with horror. “You… faked your death? And framed Miguel for it?”

“See?” Robby grinned. “You can get there eventually after all.”

But that shouldn’t be possible. Miguel was a doctor…

“I actually was dead for a while.” Robby went on. “There is this drug that we use for things like this - it kills you within seconds. Just bite down on the capsule at the right moment… but then if you get the counter-agent in time, you simply come back to life.”

“The orderly...” Johnny realized.

“An old friend of mine.” Robby confirmed. “He owed me more than a few.”

“You did all this to frame Miguel...” Johnny was shaken to his core. “Even Sam… did you even love her?”

Robby chuckled. “I don’t love her… and she doesn’t love me. She just felt sorry for me and I knew she felt guilty for how things went the last time. And then there were her troubles with Miguel. I knew that if I showed up at the right time… with the right motivation...”

“You used her...”   


Robby smiled at him. "That's something you never got about people, dad. You create the right circumstances, push the right buttons and you can make anyone do anything. Cheat on someone... kill someone..."

If he was capable of that, then what else…

“Miguel’s patient… the judge… Miguel didn’t make a mistake, did he?” Johnny asked, dreading the answer. 

“Sure he did.” Robby replied. “He made the mistake of leaving his access card lying around. Thought you’d be happy about that one - that judge was the guy who deported Rosa after all. He was the reason you lost your wife.”

“And that’s why he had to die?” Johnny asked, horrified. 

“No… he had die because he was a homophobic piece of shit who kicked his 16 year old son out for being gay.” Robby explained. “That… was a favor I owed someone else. Nailing that on Miguel… that was just icing.”

“You hate him that much?” Johnny asked, despairing. “You’d do all that just to destroy his life?”

Robby shook his head. “Once again, you missed the bigger picture.” He said. “It wasn’t just about Miguel, it was about everyone. But especially you...”

What else was he capable of? What else had he done?

“The lawsuit?” Johnny’s mind provided him the possibility. “The dojo… Did you… give him the gun?”

“That one I’m really proud of.” Robby replied. “Kids like Runt… they don’t need anyone to protect them. They just need to be given the right tools and they can do it themselves. That one was a win-win - the kid’s safe now and you had to shut down your dojo for good.”

_ But I chose to do that… for you… _

“Honestly, I was expecting that I’d have to work harder for that one… didn’t think you’d be willing to give up so easily.” He shrugged. “You must’ve felt more guilty than I realized.”

He did. He’d carried so much guilt… for so long… and the way Robby had used that against him…

“You’re a monster.” Johnny’s mind felt numb. “You’ve become just like Kreese.”

“Kreese?” Robby scoffed. “Do you see me pulling petty pranks in a dumb dojo war? No, dad, I’m nothing like Kreese. I’m much, much worse.”

He was. He truly was… Even Kreese hadn’t done half of what Robby had.

What had happened to his son? Robby used to be a good kid… hurt and angry, but still good inside. Even when misguided, he hadn’t truly wanted to hurt people. 

“What happened to you?” Johnny asked. “How did you become… like this?”

His lips curled up in a slight sneer. “You’ve never wanted to know the details before...”

“You… didn’t want to talk about it...”

“Bullshit.” Robby called him out. “You didn’t want to know because you didn’t want to face how badly you’d failed. But now you have no choice. So why don’t you ask me what you really want to know?”

Johnny nodded, afraid. “Is it all my fault?” He asked. “Did you turn out like this… because of me?”

Robby smiled. 

“No, dad. It’s not all your fault.” Robby replied. “It all starts with you, sure. My life would’ve been very different had you actually been there for me growing up. But no… I made my own choices… my own mistakes. I chose to become who I am today.”

“No, you didn’t. You couldn’t have...” Not  _ his  _ Robby… not the angry kid with a good heart… “Something happened… something that broke you and twisted you...”

“A lot of things happened, dad.” Robby replied. “It wasn’t just one thing… one moment… it was a culmination of it all. I kept having to do horrible things to survive… I went through a lot of shit… I kept… dying inside. Little by little. I kept losing pieces of myself until all that was left was anger and hatred and misery. There was a point in my life where I didn’t even know what I’d become… or what I wanted to be...”

_ It  _ **_is_ ** _ all my fault… If I’d tried harder before… fought for him harder… done more… he’d have never had to go through all that and he wouldn’t have become… this. _

“You want specifics now, I suppose…?” Robby asked. 

Johnny nodded. 

“Well, you know some of it already, don’t you?” Robby asked. “Joining the army… learning how to kill people… learning how to justify it… ”

“You were at war...” Johnny said.

“It was a bullshit war.” Robby replied. “Everyone talks about freedom and loyalty and patriotism - but it’s all bullshit. When it comes down to it, they’re all just out for more money and more power.”

Johnny understood… or atleast he thought he did.

“They abandoned you too.” He said. “They left you to rot for seven years.”

“The army did.” Robby nodded. “But my friends didn’t. The guy who laid into you at the memorial service… the one I saved… he felt so guilty that he went back to look to look for me in that hell. There was just a chance that I was alive… and that was enough for him.”

_ That’s what I should’ve done. I should’ve never taken their word for it. I should’ve gone looking for him… myself if I had to… _

“And I wasn’t a POW for seven years… it was just seven months.” Robby added. “The longest seven months of my life, but still, just seven months.”

So he’d been out all along?

“When I got back… well, let’s just say the brass saw an opportunity there.” Robby continued. “I’d always been a good soldier anyway. I had no family to give a shit about me. And I was officially declared dead. So they gave me some special training and used me to get some jobs done that needed doing but they couldn’t be seen doing officially...”

_ Dirty jobs… work that wasn’t “official”... _

“Are you… a hitman?” Johnny asked.

“Pfft… No!” Robby laughed. “I mean, don’t get me wrong - I’ve had to kill plenty of people in my line of work, but a hitman? That’s so bush-league. No - I was in acquisitions.”

“Huh…?”

“I… acquired things for the government.” Robby explained. “Things they wanted very badly but couldn’t get easily… weapons, information, technologies… people… That work… that’s what made me who I am today. Because that’s when I realized the truth.”

“What truth?”

“That I had nothing in the end.” Robby replied. “A few friends, sure, but they had damage of their own… and I couldn’t be with them anyway, given my work. No family to go back to… no future to look forward to… just being moved from one shithole to another… I couldn’t even tell myself that I was doing the right thing - that I was serving a higher purpose. I wasn’t helping the good guys… there were plenty of bad guys on both sides and I was helping them hurt more people.”

_ You could’ve come back. If only you’d come back...  _

“There was a point where I was either going to blow my brains out… or embrace what I’d become.” Robby looked Johnny in the eye. “Take a guess at what I chose...”

_ To become a monster… _

“After that… I figured why work for those assholes for pennies on the dollar.” Robby continued. “So I put together a team of some guys I can trust… some old friends… others I’d met along the way who were as broken and twisted as me… and we went freelance.”

“And they just let you?”

“It was the smart move.” Robby shrugged. “I know where too many bodies are buried already - so they can’t risk taking a shot and missing. Hiring freelancers gives them more deniability. And I was always damn good at my job… all in all, it’s worth the few million dollars I get paid for every job I take.” His smile went wide again. “See dad? Despite everything you did to screw me over, I still made something of myself.”

“Congratulations...” Johnny said dryly. “I’m happy for you.”

“It has been pretty great actually.” Robby said, leaning back and taking another sip of his drink. “Work’s exciting… I can be a real badass out there. Not lame like you teach your students to be… sorry, taught your students to be. Money’s good. I’ve friends I can trust to have my back...”

“Friends?” Johnny scoffed. The kind of guy he’d become… what kind of friends was he going to have. 

“You’ve met a few of them, actually.” Robby told him casually. “There’s Myers, ofcourse - I’m sure you remember him. And Katie...”

Johnny frowned, shaking his head. 

“Right… she was going by Laura when you met her.” Robby corrected. “Don’t you remember? Last year - at Mr. LaRusso’s Christmas party.”

Last year? Before Robby came back into their lives? And Laura was…

“Anthony’s girlfriend?” Johnny asked, incredulous. 

Robby nodded. “I think she’s the most dangerous one of us all. Mostly because she loves playing with people. Getting them to make mistakes… do things that they don’t want to… not that she had to try very hard to get Anthony started on those pills...”

“Pills?” Johnny felt cold all over again. “You got Anthony addicted to drugs?”

“No - Laura did.” Robby replied. “I was busy with Kreese back then.”

The hits just kept coming, on after the other. 

“Kreese...”

“The old man didn’t have much left for me to take. Or anything, actually” Robby said, with a touch of regret. “I had to just do what I could. I started with his nails… and then his teeth - what were left, ofcourse - and then with his skin. But the old bastard’s heart gave out before I could get to the fun parts.” He shook his head. “All in all, that was pretty unsatisfying.”

Johnny swallowed down the acid and bile making its way up his throat.

“Robby… that’s...”

“Convoluted? I know.” Robby shrugged. “The next part was pretty easy though… almost ridiculously easy. All that took was one phone call to ICE.”

_ Immigration?  _ Johnny slumped back in his seat.

“Rosa...” Even his voice had no strength left. “She never did anything to you.”

“And I never did anything to her.” Robby shrugged. “How’s it my fault that she was living here undocumented?”

Johnny didn’t even have it in him to express shock anymore. 

“You caught a lucky break there, by the way.” Robby pointed out. “I had plans for Carmen too. Finding her ex wasn’t easy… but she decided to skip town on her own. So I guess I had no reason to go after her...”

_ A small mercy…? _

“But you know? The Rosa thing made me realize that it was no fun destroying your life from afar.” Robby said casually. “I needed to be here… watching you flail about, trying to keep it together every day... And I knew I’d have to come back one last time for that...”

Robby leaned back, sighing contentedly. “Well, you can’t say I didn’t warn you. I did tell you on day one that I will mess everything up. You really should’ve listened to me.”

“So you were just… playing with us the whole time?” Johnny asked, defeated. “And all the time you spent with us here… was any of it true?”

“What do you mean? Almost all of it was true.” Robby chuckled. “Did I sit around talking about how much I loved you? Or appreciated you? Or what a difference you were making in my life? No - I told you from the start, didn’t I? You were the one who really needed this… to make yourself feel better about being a shitty dad. I never needed you to begin with and I was pretty clear about that.”

“You acted like you did.” Johnny argued. “You pretended to have PTSD.”

“I do have PTSD.” Robby replied. “You think I wouldn’t after everything? I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in ages. But you could’ve never helped me with that to begin with.”

“I did EVERYTHING to help you...” Johnny cried. “Everything I could think of… I tried to make things right...”

Robby shook his head sadly. “Fourteen years too late, dad. If you’d given a shit before...”

“I screwed up. I know I should’ve tried harder...”

“And now you are paying the price for it.”

_ And now I’m paying the price for it. I thought losing Robby was the price. Knowing that he was dead and it was my fault… that I could’ve saved him if I’d tried harder… _

_ But this is so much worse. _

“I get it. I deserve it.” Johnny said, quietly. “But they don’t.”  _ Miguel. Carmen. Sam. LaRusso…  _ “They don’t deserve to have their lives destroyed.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Robby shrugged. “You think you deserved this? I mean, sure, you were a deadbeat dad, but this…? People don’t always get what they deserve - just like I didn’t deserve to have everything taken from me. Things aren’t always about that.”

“So all this… it wasn’t about payback?” Johnny asked, tired to the bone. “You weren’t punishing us for abandoning you?”

“Not… really. No.” Robby replied carefully. “I haven’t told you the whole story yet.”

* * *

Johnny waited for him to go on. 

“I told you that I kinda felt dead inside, right?” Robby began. “But then something happened. Something miraculous and wonderful and it brought me back to life.” There was a soft smile playing on his face. “I became a dad.”

Johnny’s mouth fell open. He wasn’t expecting that.

“You have a kid?”

“Declan.” Robby’s face brightened up. He looked like a completely different person at that moment. “He’ll be 2 years old this year. He’s the most beautiful thing in the world… the kid’s gonna grow up to be a real heartbreaker...”

“You… have a kid?” Johnny’s mind was still trying to catch up. 

“I know - I couldn’t believe it either.” Robby replied, unable to stop smiling. “The very first time I held him, I felt excited and happy and so, so terrified… I didn’t know it was possible for anyone to feel like that. And I think that’s when I really understood you for the first time.”

Johnny kept staring at him, uncomprehending. 

“See… you talk about how much you care about me. But you don’t. Not really.” Robby explained, his smile fading away. “When you care about someone like I care about Dec, it’s not even a question of wanting to do the right thing. You simply don’t have a choice. You wake up and go to bed worrying about them. You can’t stop thinking about whether they are eating properly or not. This one time...” Robby laughed a little. “... when Dec was a little colicky, I just grabbed his pediatrician and forced him to stay at my home overnight.”

His smile faded again. 

“You never felt like that about me, did you?” Robby asked. “No matter what I was going through, it didn’t affect your life at all. You could go months without knowing where I was or how I was doing. Didn’t matter if I was starving in the streets, your life just chugged along as usual.”

“Aren’t you doing the same thing? Being here all these months?”

“Ofcourse not!” Robby replied, irritated. “I check in on him every day. And we have a video call atleast once a week. Declan’s happy and safe with his mom… and mine.”

“Shannon?” That was another surprise. “She has been gone for ages.”

“I found her a couple of years back - I’m good at that.” Robby replied. “Decided to give her another chance. Her very last chance. As long as she can stay clean and be a good grandma to my kid...”

_ And if she can’t? Would you kill your own mom? _

Johnny didn’t have the courage to ask. 

“If you love this kid so much, then why are you here instead of with him?” Johnny asked instead. 

“It’s for him that I had to come back.” Robby replied. “You could never change who you were for me because you never cared. But I… the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew I couldn’t stay what I’d become. I had to get the poison out.”

Robby took a troubled breath. 

“All that anger and hatred and rage inside of me… stuff I’d carried all these years… I couldn’t risk passing it on to my son. I was not going to let it affect him.” He turned to Johnny again. “I just had to let it all out once and for all. Just burn and destroy everything until I didn’t feel that urge anymore. I had to get rid of all the venom.”

“And you think you have?”

“I know I have.” Robby replied. “There is a lot more I can do here. You still have your house. Mr. LaRusso has his business. Sam has her law license. And Mr. LaRusso's  marriage… but, I don’t feel like messing with that anymore. I feel… done.”

Was he telling the truth? At this point, Johnny wasn’t sure of what to believe anymore. 

“It didn’t have to be this way...” Johnny said, pleadingly. “You could’ve just come back for real… with your son and his mom and Shannon. We could all have been a family...”

“If you think I’m gonna let you come anywhere near my son…?” Robby shook his head in amused disbelief. “No, dad. This is how it had to be. I had to make you feel as alone and miserable and  _ worthless  _ as you made me feel. That was the only way I could see to let it out.”

“And now you have.” Johnny replied. “Everything I built, everything I thought I fixed, everything I made better - you just destroyed it all. That’s enough, isn’t it? You can let it go now...”

“Yeah...” Robby agreed. “I am letting it go now.”

A ray of hope. The slightest sliver of relief after unrelenting hits…

“So... you'll try to do the right thing now?.” Johnny said carefully. “Help Miguel get out...”

He stopped short when he saw the amused expression on his face. 

“Still thinking about Miguel?” Robby snorted. “I think there has been a misunderstanding here. I’m not gonna do a goddamn thing to help Miguel. Or any of you.”

“He was arrested for your murder.” Johnny said. “Once people find out that you are alive - ”

“And how’s that gonna happen?” Robby laughed. “The cops already have their case. They think they know what happened to the body. You are the only one who has seen me alive. Do you really think they are gonna believe you? A disgraced loser of a karate teacher who’d do anything for his favorite student?”

“I’ll find a way to prove it.” Johnny swore. “I’ll tell them everything you told me today.”

“Good luck with that.” Robby laughed again. “‘My not-dead son who ended up being an evil mastermind orchestrated the whole thing to get back at me’ - you know that’s gonna make you sound like a conspiracy nutjob, right?”

“They’ll believe me.” Johnny said with confidence that he did not feel. “I’ll find a way to make them believe me.”

Robby mused the proposition. 

“And then what?” He asked. “Miguel walks free and… I go to prison? For life? Is that what you want?”

“You brought it upon yourself.” Johnny replied. 

“That… wasn’t the question.” Robby said, pointedly. “You realize you are choosing Miguel over me once again, right?”

Johnny swallowed as the words were stuck in his throat. 

“I… don’t care.”

Robby smiled. 

“Finally. The truth. If only you could’ve admitted it years ago.” There was satisfaction in his face again. “You might not care, but I do. I care about not leaving my son without a father. I’m not gonna ‘do the right thing’ or whatever just to be a good person. That ship sailed long ago. Now all I care about is being a good father.”

“You won’t be… not like this.” Johnny told him. “If your son ever finds out the things you’ve done...”

“When did I say I was gonna hide it from them?” Robby shrugged. “I’ll tell him the truth, once he is old enough to understand.”

“He’ll hate you for it.”

“Maybe...” Robby shrugged again. “But as long as he is happy and healthy and safe… that doesn’t matter either.”

“Robby...” He had no other choice left. “I’m begging you...”

“Don’t.” Robby refused, annoyed. “Don’t be pathetic.”

“You can’t come back from this.” Johnny ignored him. “If you don’t make this right right now, there will be no coming back.”

“I don’t intend to.” Robby informed him. “I told you didn’t I? I came here to finish things tonight. And after tonight, you are never gonna see me again. You are never gonna hear from me. Or even know which hemisphere I’m in. I’ll be dead to you again… and now you’ll be dead to me too.”

He downed the rest of his drink in one go and got ready to leave. It was over. Robby had won and he was about to walk away from the destruction he was leaving behind.

_ No… not yet… _

“This isn’t over...” Johnny said, firmly. “I won’t let you walk away from this. I will find you one day. I’ll track down your friends and beat the shit out of them until one of them coughs up where you are hiding. And then I’ll track you down too.”

Robby bit his lip to keep himself from laughing. 

“You’ll end up dead on day one.” He said. “But… that could be a hassle. And I did come here to settle things once and for all. So… here’s a deal for you. Keep your mouth shut. Tell Diaz to take the best deal he can. They’ll probably plead down to manslaughter. With good behavior, he should be out in a few years… and then you guys can start rebuilding your lives. Won’t be easy, but hey, I did it when I was seventeen. You do that and I’ll never bother you again.”

“Or else what?” Johnny asked.  _ What else can you take from us. _

“Or else I tell Carmen’s ex where she is hiding in Ecuador.” Robby finished. “And if you think that that’s the only card I have to play, think again...”

Johnny was too stunned to even try and stop Robby from leaving. But just as he was about to go, he turned around again.

“Oh… almost forgot.” Robby said, taking something out from his pocket and throwing it on the table. 

It was his medal of honor.

“What the hell am I supposed to do with this?” Johnny asked, staring at the thing that had once meant so much to him.

“Don’t really care.” Robby shrugged. “Keep it. Burn it. Pawn it. Trash it. Do whatever the hell you want. It doesn’t mean anything to me anymore.”

“So why give it to me?”

“Just figured you might want something to remember me by.” Robby said, chuckling. “Since you have such a hard time remembering that I exist at all.”

Chuckling to himself, Robby walked out of Johnny’s life again.

* * *

He felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. Like a festering boil inside him had been lanced and drained. He felt so light he could float away. 

He felt… free. 

Almost laughing with joy, Robby Keene got into the backseat of the car waiting for him in the alley.

“You finally settle things with your dad?” Myers asked him, punching his shoulder as a welcome. 

“I don’t know.” Robby replied, smiling. “You settle things with yours?”

There was only laughter in response.

“Honestly, I thought you were gonna quit halfway.” Katie told him from the passenger seat. “Especially when your dad gave up his business to save you… I was sure you were gonna give up.”

Robby wouldn’t deny that. That was the only moment he’d had second thoughts. 

“Have you ever known me to leave a job half done?” He asked instead. 

“Nah… buddy.” Pete put an arm around his shoulders. “You always come through.”

“If you two are done with your little lover’s reunion...” O’Neill spoke up from the driver’s seat. “We need to talk about our next job. The Russian scientist?”

“We have time for that.” Robby informed him. “No need to hurry.”

The dour one of their team met his eyes in the rearview mirror. 

“How do you know?” He asked. 

_ Months of research and reading between the lines of all the news articles.  _

“I know.” Robby said instead. “Trust me, his price is gonna skyrocket in a few months.”

They knew better than to question him. They all might have their own special set of skills, but Robby was the brains behind the operation. 

“So where to now, boss?” Katie asked. “Can we finally blow this god forsaken place?”

“Airport.” Robby agreed. “I’m headed home to spend some time with my son. You guys are welcome to join.”

Pete grinned and nodded enthusiastically. O’Neill gave no response. And Katie gave a shudder, muttering “Kids!”. 

“And...” Robby added slowly. “I think it’s time to start vetting new members for this little outfit of ours.”

He didn’t miss the nervous glance that passed between them. 

“You planning on replacing one of us?” Pete asked, blunt as ever.

“Yeah.” Robby nodded. “Me. I think it’s time I took a step back and took a more… managerial role. I’ll still be involved in planning the ops, but cutting down on the fieldwork.”

They looked at each-other concerned as well. 

“Don’t worry. My cut will be smaller too.” Robby reassured them. “You guys will be the one taking the risks after all.”

“That’s not what this is about and you know it.” Katie said, frowning. “You are too good at this to just give it up.”

“I’m not giving it up - I’m just dialling it back.” Robby told her. “I got a kid now… can’t risk leaving him without a dad.”

They got it. They weren’t exactly pleased about it, but knowing their own childhoods, they certainly got it.

“So… who are we gonna get?” O’Neill asked, getting on board first. 

Robby had a few ideas… but this wasn’t the right time for that. 

“Let’s just get home first.” He said, leaning back into his seat and closing his eyes. “We can talk about it later...”


	12. And Future is Epilogue

Johnny found Daniel LaRusso waiting for him in the hospital lobby. 

“Any luck?” He asked, as soon as Johnny was within earshot.

Johnny shook his head in disappointment. “They won’t let him out. Even for this.”

Daniel nodded, disappointed as well. It’d been a long shot anyway. 

Johnny had decided to accept Robby’s deal after all. Or rather, Miguel had decided for him. 

“He has already taken too much from me.” He’d said. “He doesn’t get to have my mom too.”

He’d taken the deal - involuntary manslaughter - and gotten 7 years. 4, with good behavior, which Miguel was determined to be on. He’d get through it, he swore and he’d move on with his life after that. 

Unfortunately, life didn’t always wait for you to get back to it.

“Never thought Miguel would miss this day.” Johnny said, shaking his head. “It’s over already?” 

Daniel nodded, with a hint of smile. “It’s a girl.” He told Johnny. “Sam’s gonna name her Danielle.”

That brought a smile to Johnny’s face. Boys were nothing but trouble anyway. 

“So Miguel’s a father now?” Johnny said, his heart bubbling. “How is she?”

“I haven’t seen her yet.” Daniel replied. “I got kicked out.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Johnny said excitedly heading inside - before realizing he didn’t know where he was supposed to go. Sheepishly, he stood aside and let Daniel take the lead. 

This could be their fresh start. There was no escaping the destruction of the past, Robby had made sure of that. They’d never be able to leave it behind… but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have something better to look forward to. Robby had tried to take everything, but he’d failed. This child… she’d be the reason for them all to come together again. To fight and push past all the damage his son had caused. 

Sam was still resting when they came into the room - tired from the labor and loopy from the drugs. Amanda was standing by her side, holding her hand, pale and stone-faced. 

“Where is she?” Johnny asked as soon as he came in.

Amanda nodded towards the bassinet in the corner. Daniel gave her an odd look but Johnny had no time for that. He practically rushed over to see the baby. 

_ She’s beautiful. _

That was his first thought. 

Small and pink all over with small tufts of blonde hair on her head. She stretched her arms upwards, reaching towards Johnny with incredibly tiny hands and he reached down, letting her fingers wrap around his knuckle. She yawned, toothless mouth opening wide and opened her eyes…

… and looked at Johnny with bright green eyes. 

And Johnny’s heart sank a little. 

* * *

“Can I see her atleast?” Miguel asked, pleading. 

Sam sat opposite to him, impassively stone-faced, but that didn’t hide the fear and heart-break in her eyes. 

She shook her head. 

“So he gets to take this from me too?” Miguel said bitterly.

“She’s not your daughter Miguel.” Sam replied calmly.

“She could be!” Miguel pleaded. “I told you already. I don’t care who the damn sperm-donor is. I will be a father to her… a good father.”

“Don’t do this, please.” Sam begged in response. “We’ve been through this already.”

They had. Robby had wanted to destroy their lives… and if he thought he’d failed, he might decide to come back to finish the job. And if he found out about Danielle…

“He’ll take her from me.” Sam cried. “I won’t even see him coming. She’ll just be gone one day.”

Robby was capable of that. After everything he’d done, who knew what else he was capable of.

“So you’re just gonna be afraid of him your whole life?” Miguel asked. 

“To protect my daughter from that monster… if that’s what I have to do...”

Miguel nodded sadly. Some things were more important than winning the fight. 

“And when she asks about her father?” Miguel asked. 

“I’ll tell her the truth.” Sam replied. “That her father was a war hero. That he had an incredibly hard life, but there was still good in him. That he died saving his friends… and that we have the medal of honor to prove it.”

“That’s your truth?” Miguel didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

“It is.” Sam replied. “The Robby I knew… the one I cared about… he died that day. The thing that came back wasn’t him.”

Miguel laughed, shaking his head. 

“I won’t be in touch for a while.” Sam informed him. “I don’t know how long… I’ll try to call when I can.”

Miguel nodded understandingly. 

“Preparations complete?” He asked, despondently. 

Sam nodded. 

“And… you land on a place yet?” 

“Colorado Springs.” Sam replied. “It makes most sense… makes sense that I’d want to get away from it all after everything that happened. But it’s not a complete backwater either… so me settling there won’t be... weird.”

Miguel nodded. Clearly Sam had thought this through.

“And… will you come back for a visit?” He asked. 

“I will.” Sam confirmed. “It’ll look suspicious if I keep my parents away from their grandaughter. So they’ll visit and so will I. Just...”

“... not for a while.” Miguel finished. “And what about Sensei? Does he get to see his granddaughter?”

Sam looked away guilty. 

Ofcourse, it’d been all about Sensei to begin with after all. Any way you cut it, Johnny showing any unusual interest in Sam’s daughter might draw Robby’s attention… assuming he was still watching that was. And after everything, that seemed like a smart thing to assume. 

“It doesn’t have to be forever.” Miguel comforted her. 

“What do you mean?”

He’d been thinking a lot about this. Robby was the real danger after all. His very existence was a threat to them all. So if someone could take care of him, once and for all…

It wouldn’t be easy. Miguel had no idea where to even start looking for the guy. And he’d already proven how dangerous he was. But if he managed to do it somehow… well, they couldn’t convict him of killing the same guy twice, could they?

“Yes, they can.” Sam told him incredulously. “Miguel, don’t be insane. You know what he’s capable of.”

“But he doesn’t know what I’m capable of.” Miguel replied. “There is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect the people I love.”

“So you’ll kill him?” Sam asked. “And then what? His friends come after us? So do they kill us or do we kill them? And what about Robby’s son? You are okay leaving him without a father?”

Miguel set his jaw resolutely. “He’ll be better off without him.”

“You think he’s gonna agree?” Sam asked. “No, Miguel. Enough is enough.”

“You are accepting defeat.” Miguel argued. 

That seemed to strike a nerve in her. 

“What?”

“It’s just… something my dad told me about once.” Sam explained. “Before that tournament that changed everything, Robby came to them. To my dad and Mr. Lawrence. He said he wanted an end to the fighting. That if we just accepted defeat, he’d make sure Kreese would leave everyone alone. But they couldn’t agree to that. Kreese was too much of a threat to let run around...”

“I never knew that...” Miguel told her.

Sam nodded. “I just wonder… if they’d accepted his offer back then, maybe we wouldn’t have ended up with a monster a hundred times worse than Kreese. Well… not like he didn’t warn us the very first day.” She gave a hollow laugh. “But if you repeat the same thing with Robby now...”

Miguel nodded, accepting defeat. 

“So this is how it ends?” He asked. “Doesn’t seem right, does it?”

Sam agreed silently. Emotionally drained, she got up to leave. 

“It’s not always about getting a happy ending, Miguel.” She said. “Sometimes all you can do is survive and make it to the other end...”

* * *

Johnny sat frozen before the screen for what felt like hours. This choice… it was probably the hardest one he’d ever had to make. And he still wasn’t sure if he should be making it. 

But not making it would have consequences too. Either road could lead to salvation… or even more destruction.

Gathering his courage, he finally put his fingers to the keyboard.

_ “Dear Robby,”  _ He started typing and then paused. Despite having thought for hours about what he was going to write, he was now having doubts. 

_ “I know you have already ditched the phone you had when you were here. That number is no longer working. And you probably don’t check this email either. But I have no idea how else to reach you… or whether I even should. I’m not sure whether I should be doing this in the first place. But the possible consequences of not doing it are simply too horrifying. So I’m taking a chance.” _

_ “I’m taking a chance on you. Not the you that I saw the last time we talked, but the good kid you used to be inside. I’m desperate to believe that that kid is still in there somewhere - buried under all the anger and hatred and pain. And now that you’ve dealt with that...” _

_ “You have dealt with it, haven’t you? That was the point of all this? You wanted to let your rage out once and for all so you could be a better person - a better father - for your kid? You told me that you had more ways of hurting us, but you didn’t feel the need to. And I’m going to take your word for it.” _

_ “I won’t pretend that I’m doing this for you. You wouldn’t believe me anyway. I’m doing this because I’m scared. We are all scared… of you. We know we can’t do anything to you. And we all live in dread of the day you might decide that everything you did wasn’t enough. That you need to let out some more hatred after all.” _

_ “But you said you were done and I’m going to take your word for it. And I hope to God that I’m not making another terrible mistake.” _

Johnny almost lost his nerve right then.

_ You can’t do this,  _ a voice in his head told him.  _ Everyone decided what the best course was after hours and hours of argument. You can’t just change it al on your own. _

He ignored it and continued typing. 

_ “You have a daughter.” _

_ “Guess you weren’t as careful with Sam as you could’ve been. She found out after you left and she… well, we all hoped that it was Miguel’s but the moment we saw her...” _

_ “Sam named her Danielle LaRusso and she has your eyes and your smile. And with my hair… she looks like a little angel. I think I get it now. What you said about how you felt when you saw your son for the first time - I finally understand it. I wish I’d understood it sooner. I wish I’d felt that way about you. If I had, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out this way… but it’s too late for all that now.” _

_ “I know your first instinct would be to be angry. To want to punish us for trying to hide her from you. But we only did that because we are all scared of losing her.” _

_ “I know your second instinct would be to simply take her from us. And I know there is nothing any of us can do to stop you.” _

_ “Which is why I’m hoping - begging - that you’d go with your third instinct. If you have truly dealt with your anger and you really don’t want to cause any more pain, then we can find a way forward. One that works for us all - but especially for little Danielle.” _

_ “This girl is your daughter and she should have her father in her life. And you deserve the chance to be a better father than I ever was. Based on everything you told me about Declan, it sounds like you already are - but you should be one to this girl as well.” _

_ “Because she doesn’t just need her father, she needs her mother too. She needs her family. Including Daniel and Amanda and - if you’d let it - me. Right now, Sam wouldn’t allow any of it. She lives in fear of you coming back and taking her daughter from her. And that’s no way for a kid to grow up.” _

_ “I won’t ask anything from you. I won’t ask you to come back and tell the truth so Miguel can walk free. I won’t ask you to fix everything you destroyed. I lost that right years ago. And maybe you are right - if you can lose everything at seventeen and still make a life for yourself, then we should be able to do it to. And maybe we deserve it too.” _

_ “But this girl doesn’t. And for her sake...” _

Johnny stopped again, wondering how to proceed. 

_ “I don’t have a plan here. I’m not sure how all this can work… how you can be a father to Danielle without taking her from the family she has. But I’m hoping you would. You were always smarter than me and I’m sure if you want to, you can figure out a way to be there for both of your children. After seeing everything else that you are capable of, I’m sure you can figure out a way if you wanted to.” _

_ “I know I didn’t choose you over others before. I didn’t care about your feelings or what you wanted or needed like I should’ve and that’s what led to all this. I won’t say it’s all my fault - we both know better - but it does start with me. Maybe if I’d been there for you when you needed me… even once...” _

_ “But that’s why I’m doing this. This time, I am choosing you. You need - and you deserve - the chance to be a good father to your kids and in whatever small way I can, I want to give it to you.” _

_ "I know now what kind of havoc you are capable of and I don’t think hurting you again is going to work out well for anybody. I know it doesn’t make up for my past mistakes - it’s too late for that - but I hope it’s enough for you to have a fresh start.” _

_ “That’s it. That’s all I wanted to say. I know you have it in you to be a better father than I ever was and I know you’d do anything - sacrifice anything - for your kids. Both of them. So I hope you’ll give this a chance and do what’s best for the both of them.” _

_ “Love, Johnny.” _

He was doing it? He was really doing it? Bringing that monster back into their lives? Giving him a chance to take even more from them?

But who knew - maybe it wouldn’t matter after all. If Robby truly had moved on, he might not be checking his emails. He might not be keeping tabs on them to make sure they remained miserable. And he might never find out that he has a daughter out there. 

_ But if he does find out and blames all of you for hiding her… _

Resolutely, Johnny moved the cursor and hit send.

**The End.**


End file.
